Sailor Moon: The Last Guardian Knight - Act Three
by Lisseas
Summary: The time has come; the Revenant Knight himself has entered the solar system, and the Sailor Senshi search for a way to defeat him once and for all. But things are not always what they seem, and they soon find themselves facing an enemy they never expected to battle. Not in a thousand years. Rated T for mild language, some descriptive violence and suggestive content. Now complete.
1. Charon Castle Falls

Quick AN: Act Three kicks off one day after the last scene of Act Two's Epilogue; five days after the Senshi's return from Ruin's sanctum.

* * *

Usagi stared down at the bodies of her friends in horror. _Ami! Rei! No, it can't be! You can't be dead! _Ami stared back at her with empty, lifeless eyes, her neck bent at an impossible angle. Blood pooled under Rei, spilling from the ragged hole in her chest; she hadn't even had time to scream.

"Usagi!"

She turned to her last remaining friend. _Minako!_ She was held aloft by Sailor Crimson, high over the Marauder's head. Her hand reached out desperately; Usagi had never seen her so terrified.

"Please, help me!"

Crimson smiled coldly, and slammed the blonde down back-first on her knee. Usagi tore her eyes away as a horrific crack echoed through the room.

_Please, make it stop_, Usagi thought frantically. _Please! Someone! Anyone!_

Minako let out a bloodcurdling scream of pain as she hit the ground and lay there; writhing in agony as tears streamed down her cheeks. Sailor Fury stepped out of the shadows, the tip of her sword producing sparks as it scraped along the floor.

"Don't worry, sweetie. I'll put an end to your pain. _Forever_…"

Minako's eyes were wide with fear; she reached desperately for Usagi again. "Please, Usagi! I can't…I can't feel my legs! They won't move! Please, help me!"

Try as she might, Usagi couldn't move; she was rooted to the ground. Sailor Pride stepped out of a mirror beside her, and smirked.

"This is what always happens, isn't it, Princess? You get yourself into trouble…and your friends show up to save you. Time and time again, they fight for you…they bleed for you…and, finally…they _die _for you. All while you stand there and do nothing!"

"No…" Usagi whispered. "That's not true!"

"Isn't it?" Pride asked. "Go on, then. Go to her rescue. Save your friend. Save Sailor Venus from Fury!"

Usagi began to cry. She wanted desperately to rush to Minako's side, but her legs just wouldn't obey; she was powerless to act.

"Why won't you help me?" Minako's words were almost lost amidst her hysterical sobs. "Please, Usagi! I need you!"

"I'm sorry, Minako…I failed you." Usagi closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable. There was a loud swish as Fury's sword swung through the air…followed by silence. She opened her eyes again to find Queen Serenity herself standing before her.

The silver-haired monarch shook her head sadly, and turned away. "Oh, my dear Serenity…you've failed just as I did…"

"Mother!" Usagi sat bolt upright; Luna let out a startled howl as she was kicked to the floor. The blonde looked around, momentarily disoriented. This was…her bedroom. It was all just a dream. The battle with the Marauders didn't end that way; her friends were still alive. She reached up to rub her face slowly. _No thanks to me_.

"Usagi?" Luna managed to pull herself back onto the bed, collapsing in a heap beside her. "Is everything alright?"

"It…" Usagi cleared her throat awkwardly. "It was just a bad dream. I'm sorry I kicked you."

"Oh, I'll be fine." Luna stretched and headed up the bed to nuzzle against her arm. "Would you like to talk about it?"

She closed her eyes, and shuddered as she saw an image of her friends' broken bodies almost immediately. "Uh, no, it's okay. It's already fading. You know what nightmares are like." _If only that were true._

There was a hint of concern in Luna's voice. "This is the second time you've woken up screaming this week. Are you sure there's nothing bothering you?"

"Yes. It's just…everything that's happened in the last few days." Usagi settled down against her pillow, and turned away. "My mind must still be working through it all. I'm sure it will be fine."

"Alright." Luna didn't sound convinced, but she didn't press the issue – something Usagi was thankful for. "Well, it's only four AM. Try to go back to sleep. I'll be here if you decide you need to talk after all."

"Thanks, Luna." Usagi closed her eyes, and stifled a whimper as she saw Minako again, screaming in pain. _How can I be queen? How can I be responsible for an entire world's worth of people, when I can't even keep my friends safe? If my mother failed…what hope do I have?_

* * *

The morning sun streamed through the window, casting long shadows across Rei's bedroom floor. She sighed as she put down what must have been the eleventh or twelfth university brochure in a row. There were so many choices; not just for campus, but for subject as well.

"Ancient Literature…" she said softly, "or Shinto Studies?"

Those two courses seemed to call to her the most, but she couldn't make up her mind between them. Shinto Studies was much more beneficial in the long run; after all, she planned to be a Head Priestess one day. But Japanese Literature had always fascinated her in school, and Ancient Literature seemed the logical continuation of that. _How do I choose_, she wondered. _Which of my passions do I go with?_

"Good morning, Rei."

She glanced up as her grandfather entered the room. "Morning, Grandpa."

"What's that you're looking at?"

Rei sighed as she placed the two pamphlets in their own pile. "University brochures. I can't decide what course I want to take."

The old man settled in beside her and peered at the two brochures sitting apart from the others. "Shinto Studies, hmm?"

"I'm considering it."

He nodded as he stroked his chin. "And your other choice?"

"Ancient Literature. I always enjoyed it in school…and to have a reason to read and dissect such classic works? It would be amazing!"

"Take that one," he said.

"That was awfully quick." Rei glanced up at him, narrowing her eyes. "Why?"

"Rei…" He put his hand on her shoulder; he was fortunate she was kneeling. "If you truly want to be Head Priestess of this shrine someday, you're going to spend a _lot _of time studying Shinto. Take my advice; have some fun first. I can tell just from the sound of your voice that you want to take Ancient Literature. Enjoy it; worry about Shinto Studies later, when you're preparing to become a priestess in your own right."

Rei smiled. "Thanks, grandpa. That's really good advice."

Her grandfather laughed quietly. "Not at all, Rei. I'm glad. You seem happier lately. Calmer, somehow." His hand slipped from her shoulder. "Now…I'd best get to the chores…"

"Not so fast, grandpa." She reached out and took hold of his sleeve. "We've decided _what _I'm going to study, but there's still the question of _where_."

"Oh, but-"

"Sit." Her tone made it clear it wasn't a request. He sighed, and sat slowly beside her. "Now, _this _campus is nice and close, but _this _one has a reflection garden. Then, there's _this _one…"

* * *

Ami stared down at the letter in her hands. _Dear Miss Mizuno. Due to the recent withdrawal of another student, we are very pleased to offer you a position in our pre-medical program commencing next year. _She had made it; her dream of studying abroad in Germany was within her grasp…and yet, Ami couldn't bring herself to be excited.

_The timing's all wrong_, she thought sadly. _When I didn't get in last year, I assumed that was it. I let myself move on. I invested in my life here, with my friends. With…Ryo. And now, suddenly, it's all up in the air. How do I tell everyone? How do I tell_ him?_ Anecdotal evidence suggests that long-distance relationships are doomed to fail…and the thought of that is unbearable._

Ami sighed heavily, and folded the letter up again. _Whatever I decide, it has to be soon; if I am going to Germany, it isn't fair to keep hiding it from Ryo and my friends like this. Though, knowing Ryo…he already knows, and he's just waiting for me to tell him._

* * *

Minako stood in the centre of her living room, wearing her Sailor Senshi uniform. Her parents circled her, peering at her intently. _Five days_, she thought miserably. _For five days I managed to avoid this. But when mother insists, there's no refusing her. _She had removed her sling as a precaution, and her back brace had vanished with the rest of her clothes, so Minako was doing her best to stay still.

Between her and Artemis, they had managed to explain pretty much everything of any importance. The Moon Kingdom, her past life as Mina, the attack by Metalia and Earth, her reincarnation, and then Sailor V and the rest of her activities in her current life. Even after all of that, her mother decided she wanted to see 'the outfit' up close. _So here I am, _she thought. _Standing here in my own living room while my parents inspect my 'outfit'. This whole reveal is nothing like I expected it to be; somehow it feels like I'm still seeking mother's approval._ Her parents shared a silent look - the meaning of which she couldn't decipher - and finally backed away.

Her dad glanced down at her legs and frowned. "I'm not criticising you personally, honey...but does your skirt _have _to be so short?"

"It does seem impractical," Fumiko agreed. "It barely covers anything at all! With even a gentle breeze, you'll be showing off your...well…"

"It's a leotard, mother," Minako muttered. "And believe me, you're not asking anything we haven't already."

Fumiko pressed a finger to her cheek – a mannerism Minako was beginning to realise she'd inherited from her – and looked her over again. "I have to admit, it's a cute look. Orange has always been your colour, and you certainly have the legs to pull off the skirt, but...as your mother? I'm just not feeling it." She glanced down at Artemis. "I'll bet you had a hand in designing the uniform, didn't you? It seems like something a male would dream up!"

"I had nothing to do with it," he protested. "And I resent the implication!"

Minako sighed. "We don't know who designed the outfits, mother. This is just the way it is. And Artemis really isn't that kind of guy...for the most part."

"For the most part?" he repeated slowly.

She rolled her eyes. "Oh, I've caught you peeking at me before and you know it!"

Artemis was mortified. "But those were accidents! I had no intentions of-"

"Accidental peeking is still peeking, Arty." She winked to let him know she was just kidding; a fact apparently lost on her father.

"Just you watch yourself, Artemis," he growled. "Nobody peeks at my daughter; not even talking cats from the moon! Keep it up, and you'll be out on the street!"

The cat blinked in confusion. "But...but…"

Minako winced."I was just kidding, dad. Arty's like a little furry father to me!" She immediately rolled her eyes and groaned. _Little furry father? What's wrong with me?!_

Her comment led to a - well-deserved, in her mind - awkward silence, before her father finally spoke up again. "I still can't believe you've been doing this since you were thirteen! How didn't we notice?"

Fumiko sighed. "It explains so much, too. All those late night disappearances, the sudden clumsiness, even the drop in your grades! It was all this, wasn't it?"

"Mostly," Minako admitted. "Sailor V cost me a lot in the beginning. My friends, my grades, my place on the volleyball team. I struggled to balance my life as V with the rest of it... even my relationship with you." She glanced down, suddenly feeling guilty. "Everything started going wrong between us not long after I became a Sailor Senshi."

"Yes, I suppose it did." Fumiko poked absently at the clear material over Minako's shoulder, and sighed again. "I was just so worried about you, Minako. I knew something was wrong. You were always coming home with fresh scrapes and bruises. Your grades fell off to bare minimum passes. But do you know what the worst thing of all was?"

Minako shook her head. She had an idea, but she couldn't bring herself to say it.

"You wouldn't talk to me about it. You just started lying, and making up excuses about being clumsy, and bored with school. I started getting angry after a while, because I couldn't help you…and I suppose I started taking that anger out on you. I'm sorry, Minako…that wasn't very motherly of me, was it?"

Minako leaned in and hugged her mother with her good arm. "I'm sorry too, mother. I never meant to hurt you. Really." _I've missed this_, she thought. _It's nice to have my mother back...mostly._

Fumiko returned the embrace gently. "I know I'm selfish for thinking this way, but I don't want you to be Sailor Venus anymore. I don't care about this Moon Princess, or the world! I just want you to be safe!" Her voice dropped to a whisper. "That Fury woman almost killed you. Can't you just walk away? Can't someone else do it?"

"We already covered that," Minako said, patiently. "You _know _I can't. Sailor Venus is my duty. Yes, I can be a little flaky sometimes...but I can't turn my back on her, or the other Sailor Senshi."

Fumiko smiled faintly. "I've been pleading with you to be more responsible for years. It turns out you have been...just not the way I wanted."

"Oh, mother...it's not all injuries and late nights. I met my best friends as a Sailor Senshi." Her smile turned decidedly dreamy. "And the man I-"

Artemis leapt to his feet. "Minako, no!"

"…love."

Fumiko winced as she glanced at her husband. "Oh, you probably should have eased him into that one, sweetie."

"Love?" Yoshiro's face was immediately red. "You're in love? With Corey?! You can't be! The two of you have only been dating for three weeks! You barely know each other!" He folded his arms across his chest and shook his head repeatedly. "That's it, things between you two are moving way too fast! I forbid you to see him anymore!"

"Oh, dad..." Minako sighed wearily. "There is absolutely no chance of that happening."

He glared at her. "Minako, I'm your father, and-"

"Dad." Her tone became a little more forceful. "Just stop and listen to me a second. Please." He actually went quiet; Minako was surprised. _I should use my Sailor Venus voice more often! _"Our relationship is a little…complicated, okay? Arty and I explained the Moon Kingdom before, remember? My past life and all that?"

Yoshiro nodded mutely.

"Well, Princess Mina of Venus was in love, too. With Corval, the Guardian Knight of Justice."

He frowned. "But, you _were _Mina..."

She nodded slowly. "Right. And Corey _was_ Corval…"

"Oh." His eyes widened. "_Oh_!"

"We were together more than five _years_, dad." She laughed quietly. "In fact, we were practically married. We just didn't have the piece of paper to prove it. I love him, because I always have! Yes, we're a little different now, but he's the same man in all the ways that count, and-"

He burst into tears and hugged her tightly. "Oh, Minako…my sweet little girl! You're all grown up! You'll be leaving the nest soon, and learning to fly on your own! You don't need your poor old man anymore!"

Minako froze. She hadn't expected _this _reaction. He continued to sob, mumbling incoherently as she raised her good arm to hug him back.

"Oh, for goodness sake," Fumiko muttered. "Get a hold of yourself, Yoshi."

The blonde patted him on the back; it was more than a little awkward. "It's okay, dad. Please, stop crying…"

"Oh, never mind him. He's fine." Fumiko leaned in and tugged on Minako's skirt experimentally. "Hmm…it's actually attached to the rest of your suit? Interesting…"

"Mother?" Minako was suddenly caught between both of them. "What are you doing down there?"

"Have you ever considered leggings?"

Minako groaned as she tried in vain to free herself from her parents' clutches. _Please, just let it end__!_

* * *

Setsuna dropped her teaspoon. It landed on the floor with a metallic clink, as she stared down at her cup. Something was wrong. Terribly wrong. She rose from her seat and looked through the kitchen window, into the backyard; Hotaru was sitting at her easel, working on a new painting. Completely oblivious to the world around her. Setsuna felt her fingers drifting almost automatically to her communicator.

Michiru replied immediately. "Setsuna, is something wrong?"

"I was just about to ask you the same thing. I'm feel uneasy…as if there were something very wrong. But…I see nothing amiss."

"Can you be more specific?" Michiru asked, her lips dropping into a frown.

Setsuna felt strange; it was as if something was tugging at her. Trying to pull her away. "I don't...think so." The sensation was spreading…and she was growing weaker. "I…I think…I…"

Michiru's tone shifted to one of concern. "Setsuna?"

The floor suddenly rushed up to meet her as she collapsed; her head hit the edge of the table and everything went black.

"Setsuna? Setsuna!"

She could still hear Michiru's panicked voice…but it seemed to be coming from so far away. Setsuna opened her eyes and gasped. She wasn't in her kitchen anymore; she was in space, suspended over Pluto. Her eyes wandered over the icy globe beneath her. It had been a long time since she'd looked upon it with her own eyes.

A faint point of light emerged from the other side of the planet. A smile came to her lips as it drifted closer, carried forward by its orbit; a mass of discs and curves, with a towering central spire. _Charon Castle_, she thought. _I haven't seen it in so long. _It had been a gift from Queen Serenity more than a millennia earlier; her home away from the Space-Time Door. A place of quiet reflection, and solitude. The feeling of dread intensified as a shadow fell across the large structure and the planet's surface beneath it. Setsuna suddenly understood; something _was _terribly wrong.

A great, swirling cloud of smoke and ash descended on Pluto, blocking out the sun itself. Setsuna felt her blood freeze in her veins as the cloud approached. Ripples of red and purple lightning skittered across its surface as its smoky tendrils reached out for Charon Castle; slowly but surely it was pulled into the cloud. Red arcs of lightning lashed at its walls, tearing them apart as the cloud reached inside. Its lights flickered, and Setsuna felt a strange sensation of weakness; as if her own strength were being drained. Her castle's lights finally went out completely as it drifted through the shadowy mass. The once-gleaming structure drifted free of the cloud; it had been torn apart, and was now nothing more than a shattered husk devoid of all power, adrift in space. A face formed in the cloud; that of a laughing man. Lightning arced towards her as a cold voice seemed to pierce her very soul.

_I see you…Senshi…_

Setsuna shrieked in surprise as something cold suddenly splashed across her face. She sat up quickly, breathing heavily as she fought to regain her senses. This was the kitchen. _Her_ kitchen. In the house she shared with Haruka, Michiru and Hotaru.

Hotaru placed the now-empty glass on the floor beside her and wrapped her arms around the older woman. "You're alright! I was so scared!"

Setsuna instinctively brought her own arms up around the girl, despite the rare blush on her cheeks; she hadn't shrieked like that in a very long time. "Yes, Hotaru. Thanks to you." She brought her fingers up to the side of her head, and winced as she probed her temple. _No blood...but a nasty bump._

"I heard a bang, and when I came inside you were on the floor." Hotaru leaned back and peered at her anxiously. "What happened?"

She closed her eyes as she remembered. Charon Castle had been destroyed; _t__hat _was the source of her unease. A shudder ran through her as she recalled seeing the great cloud of ash. Evil had rolled off it like waves in the ocean, almost overwhelming her.

"Setsuna?"

She opened her eyes again and met Hotaru's unblinking stare. "I must inform the others at once. We are all in grave danger."

* * *

Corey looked across the table at Minako, and had to remind himself again to stop staring at her. She was just so beautiful; he couldn't help it.

She smiled shyly. "What is it?"

"It's nothing," he said, laughing quietly. "I'm just glad to finally have a moment to sit and reflect on how lucky I am. It's been a hell of a ride, these last three weeks."

"It has been pretty crazy," Minako agreed. She reached up to adjust her sling and sighed irritably. "I hate this stupid thing."

"It could have been a lot worse," he replied.

"I suppose you're right. At least Fury got me in almost exactly the same spot as Terror; there's less chance of two scars." Her eyes drifted down. "Unlike that stupid Construct and my hip…"

"Hey." He reached out and squeezed her hand gently. "You're the most beautiful girl in the world, Minako...scars and all." He winked. "And besides, if you want to see some _real _scars, maybe we can compare them sometime. I've got some nice ones myself."

She raised a single eyebrow as she giggled. "Trying to get my top off, cutie?"

_Damn!_ Her suddenly sultry tone caught him off guard. "That's not what I-"

Minako winked at him, and even that was overwhelmingly sexy. "Aww, you're so cute when you're all embarrassed."

"Oh, I'm not embarrassed," he said awkwardly. "Believe me, underneath my cool, gentlemanly exterior beats the heart of a man…and you're a gorgeous woman. It's a safe bet to say I've given...uh, _that_...some serious thought."

"Have you now?" Her tone rose with her eyebrow. "Well then, maybe we should start thinking about taking things-" Their communicators started beeping, and she groaned loudly. "Oh, come on! It's like they know just when to interrupt us!"

"Tell me about it." Corey was actually disappointed. _That conversation was heading into interesting territory..._

Minako flipped open her communicator and forced a smile. "Yes?"

"Minako!" It was Usagi. "Sorry to bother you. I know you're still recovering, but Setsuna just contacted me, asking for a meeting. I figured you'd want to be there…even if you are out of action for now."

Minako's jaw clenched just enough for Corey to notice. "Thanks, Usagi. That's…very thoughtful of you."

Corey winced. _She does _not _like being reminded that she's out injured. _"What time, Usagi?"

"Um, she said as soon as possible." Usagi paused. "Are you okay, Minako? You seem…mad."

"Oh, I'm fine." Minako's face was the picture of innocence. "We'll see you soon."

"Okay."

Minako snapped her communicator shut so hard that Corey was worried she'd broken it. He squeezed her hand again. "You okay?"

She sighed. It was a short, sharp hiss of frustration. "Yeah…I'm just…I hate this. I hate feeling useless."

"Minako, you broke your back. You're not useless, you're _hurt_. Just rest up, focus on recovering, and you'll be back in action in no time." He smiled gently. "Okay?"

"Okay." Minako didn't seem entirely convinced, but she nodded all the same. "I guess it gives me some free time to focus on other things, at least." She pushed back her chair and rose to her feet. "Come on...we'd better get going. Considering my pace lately, we're gonna be the last ones there as it is."

"I could just blink us over there," he said lightly.

"No, no…walking is good for me." She adjusted her sling yet again, and smiled. "Don't think I'm just forgetting about our other conversation, either. We can pick it up later. Deal?"

He put his arm around the small of her back, and leaned in to kiss her gently. "Deal."

* * *

Usagi sighed; Setsuna was taking a little longer to show up than she had expected. _For the Guardian of Time, she's not very punctual. _She let her eyes wander around the shrine's courtyard. The Inner Senshi were all present, except Minako. Corey was coming with her, and Mamoru was caught at work. Titus had just arrived, and was sitting atop the low wall beside them, eyeing everyone suspiciously. _Always the spy_, she thought idly. Mako and Rei were chatting rather animatedly; the shrine maiden actually seemed happy. _That's a nice change. I'm glad to see her getting back to her normal self._

Ami, however, was rather quiet; even by her usual standards. The blonde sat beside her and reached out to pat her on the shoulder. "Is everything alright, Ami?"

She actually jumped, and Ami wasn't easily startled. "Oh, Usagi! Yes, I'm fine. Just…thinking."

Usagi smiled. "Anything I can help with?"

"I, uh…I'm afraid not." Ami was actually fidgeting; something she never did. "It's just university stuff; I'll get through it. Thanks, though."

"Well, okay." Usagi turned to see Minako and Corey climbing the last few steps up to the shrine. "If you change your mind, or you just want to talk, I'm here."

Ami gave her a faint smile. "Thanks, Usagi."

"Geez," Minako grumbled. "Setsuna's still not here yet? You'd think the Guardian of Time herself could be a little more punctual!"

"My apologies."

Minako shrieked in surprise, and spun around to find Setsuna right behind her; a clearly embarrassed Hotaru was standing off to the side, shaking her head. Corey reached out to steady her as she raised a trembling finger at Setsuna's face. "Damn it, Setsuna, I told you to stop doing that! It isn't funny!"

"On the contrary," Setsuna said lightly, "I found your reaction most amusing. How else do you propose I enjoy myself?"

Corey shook his head. "You must have used your powers for that one."

"That's right," Makoto agreed. "You even waited for Minako to setup your entrance with her line about you being punctual!"

"Nonsense." Setsuna still managed a faint smile, despite her tone. "I would never use my powers in such a trivial manner."

Usagi just sighed. She didn't quite believe Setsuna, and neither did her friends, it seemed.

"Hi, Hotaru," Minako said, as she sat beside Usagi. Corey sat beside her, and nodded quietly to the other girls.

"H-Hi, Minako." The girl smiled shyly. "I'm sorry about that. I wanted to tell you, but Setsuna said she'd been looking forward to it all day-"

Setsuna cleared her throat hastily. "Now, now, Hotaru, we don't have time for that!"

"Sure," Minako said icily.

Usagi let out a short laugh. "Busted!"

"Are Haruka and Michiru joining us?" Luna asked.

Usagi looked over at Setsuna. "Yeah, we haven't seen them since we got back from Ruin's sanctum."

Setsuna seemed hesitant. "They are aware of the situation…but busy on another mission."

"Another mission?" Rei folded her arms. "_What _other mission?"

"They wouldn't tell me," Setsuna admitted. "All I know is, they consider it important. That will have to suffice for now."

"Very well." Titus sat beside Corey, and cocked his head to the side. "I'm curious as to the purpose of this summons?"

"Yes, Setsuna," Usagi agreed. "It sounded urgent over the communicator."

The Guardian of Time nodded. "It is indeed." She looked around the group, meeting everyone's gaze in turn. "I fear we are all in grave danger. The Revenant Knight has entered the solar system."

* * *

AN: And I'm back with the start of Act Three of Last Guardian Knight. I found it a little challenging to get going this time around. Having to reference Act Two - for example, Minako's back and shoulder injuries - while still starting this off as a new, independent story was just a lot trickier than last time.

My apologies for ending things where I did, but I'm conscious of not letting these things get too huge like I did in Act Two (though, I admit, that probably won't last long!). Hopefully you enjoyed the setup; the next chapter will reintroduce a familiar face, and really get the plot rolling. Thanks for reading!


	2. Back from the Future

"The Revenant Knight…has entered the solar system."

Usagi shivered involuntarily, feeling a sudden chill. _So this is what it means for your blood to run cold? _She glanced around at her friends; the mood seemed fairly somber.

Titus stared up at the sky, his expression characteristically impassive. "I thought we had more time to prepare…"

Usagi couldn't tell what he was thinking…but she hoped it was good. _He's been waiting for this since the fall of the Moon Kingdom. Now that the Revenant Knight is finally here…does he have a plan?_ She glanced at Corey; his face was as unreadable as that of his guardian. _I know Corey figures into Titus' plans somehow. After all, he wanted him 'ready'…back to his Silver Millennium strength. He's accomplished that, despite the bumps in the road along the way. But now what? _

Ami had her computer in her hands; she frowned and looked up at Setsuna. "I'm not getting any readings..."

"Peace," Setsuna said softly. "He is still some distance away."

"How can you be so sure?" Luna sounded unsettled; Usagi reached out and stroked the top of her head gently. _I'll reassure you, Luna…like you've reassured me so many times before._

"There was an incident earlier today…that confirmed his presence." Setsuna looked down. "I felt a strange sensation of dread, like something was terribly wrong...but I could find no hint of danger. There was no threat to Hotaru; likewise, Michiru and Haruka were also safe. Before I could contact you to confirm your well-being, I…passed out."

Usagi found it difficult to speak past the sudden lump in her throat. "Are you alright?"

"I am, barring a bruise to my head...and my pride." Setsuna looked up at the sky; her eyes narrowed just slightly as she considered her words. "It was as if my spirit was pulled to Pluto. The space above it, to be precise. I believe Charon Castle summoned me, in order to warn me of our enemy's coming."

Minako leaned in closer. "You actually saw your castle?" She seemed fascinated by the idea.

"Yes." Setsuna bowed her head. "I...I saw it _devoured_."

The blonde's eyes almost popped out of her skull. "Jerkface _ate _your castle?!"

Corey stared at Usagi in confusion as he mouthed 'jerkface'; she shrugged in reply.

Setsuna sighed. "In a manner of speaking, Minako. He drained it of all energy, leaving it adrift and without power. I fear it will crash into Pluto's surface before too much longer. That saddens me."

Artemis was all business. "And you're sure it was the Revenant Knight who did this?"

"I saw him," she said. "A great cloud of ash, suspended in the stars above Pluto…shrouding my world in shadow." Setsuna seemed unusually shaken. "When Charon Castle summoned my spirit, he was somehow able to see me. He...reached out for me, and I heard his voice; he sounded almost amused by my presence."

Makoto frowned. "And then what happened?"

"I woke up on the kitchen floor with a nasty bump on my head," Setsuna said dryly.

Hotaru blushed. "And a wet face."

"Yes." Setsuna smiled, and squeezed her shoulder. "If not for Hotaru's quick thinking, I might not have woken up in time. I'm uncertain what might have happened had our foe reached me…but I doubt it would have been pleasant."

Usagi barely heard her; she was lost in her own thoughts. _Another enemy already? I thought we had more time. Time for Minako to heal. Time for us to prepare. Time to come up with some kind of strategy! We aren't ready for him yet. _Another image of her friends' corpses flashed through her mind. _I can't let that happen. I _won't_._

Rei rose to her feet and adjusted her robes. "I'll try a fire reading. Nothing too ambitious, of course; not with him so close. I don't want to risk him trying to possess me again, after all."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Artemis asked.

She shrugged. "We need all the information we can get."

"You're right, Rei…but so is Artemis." Makoto pushed herself to her feet. "That's why I'm gonna come with you. I'll keep an eye on you, just in case he _does _try something."

Rei smiled. "Thanks, Mako."

Usagi looked up at the sky; she could have sworn she had just heard a distant crack of thunder…but there wasn't a cloud in the sky. _That's odd. The weather report said clear skies for the day._

"Luna, you mentioned at one point that Moon Castle was still somewhat intact?" Corey ran his fingers through his messy hair as he looked over at her. "I wonder if it's worth me taking a look. It's a long shot, but maybe something of the old Guardian Knight archives survived the Fall?"

Ami shook her head. "The castle wasn't _that _intact when we last saw it, Corey. I'm not sure you would find anything useful."

"Still…" Luna considered his suggestion. "It's not a bad idea."

"As Rei has already said, we _do_ need all the information we can get," Titus agreed. "My memory of the archives is a little fuzzy after all this time…so it may be worth considering, Corey. Personally, I'd like a more concrete estimate of the Revenant Knight's position and ETA on Earth. I'll…_consult_ with NASA."

"Why did you say it like that?" Luna asked, clearly suspicious.

Rei crossed her arms. "Yeah, you put a weird emphasis on _consult_."

Corey rolled his eyes. "By consult, he means _hack_."

Titus rolled his eyes right back at him. "Well, without any of the additional equipment to go with it, the Eternity Main System is largely useless to us. NASA is a very distant next best thing…and I doubt they'll just give me access to their archives."

"Why don't you just take control of the Hubble Space Telescope while you're at it?" Corey muttered.

Titus hummed thoughtfully. "That's a possibility..."

Ami looked down at him and smiled. "Titus, I'd be very interested in watching you work. If you don't mind, of course?"

"Not at all. We'll head to the command centre at once." He headed towards the steps, but paused as a second rumble of thunder sounded, this time much closer. "Where is that coming from?"

Usagi was growing suspicious herself. There was no trace of a storm; there shouldn't be any thunder at all. She recalled their first encounter with the Revenant Knight, at Tokyo Skytree; his projection had arrived inside a great storm. She glanced up again nervously. _Could it be him, already?_

More thunder sounded, directly overhead this time, and Corey turned his gaze to the sky. "What the hell is that?"

Usagi followed his line of sight, and saw a small wisp of pink cloud forming almost right above them.

Rei caught her gaze. "I'll go find grandpa, and keep him inside!" She turned and hurried towards the main hall.

Makoto glanced about. "We're pretty lucky there aren't any other visitors!"

Corey scratched his head. "This isn't weirding anyone else out?"

"We're about to have company," Minako explained, smiling up at the sky.

"Yes. Someone we haven't seen for quite a long time," Usagi agreed.

Setsuna's lips dropped into a faint frown. "But why now, of all times?"

With another clap of thunder, the cloud formation suddenly expanded in size; it turned a bright pink, and a silhouette was deposited on the stone before them in a cloud of smoke. Usagi waved her hand in the air to clear away some of the haze, and felt her smile widen even further as their visitor was revealed.

"Chibiusa!" she called.

Corey looked the new arrival over. She had pink hair, worn in a similar style to Usagi; her buns were a little pointier, though, and her hair was nowhere near as long. Usagi rushed forward and wrapped her up in a tight hug; they clearly knew each other well. "What are you doing here?"

"I came for a visit! Mama finally let me come back and see you all!"

Usagi's grin was enormous. "Well, I'm very happy to see you!"

He leaned over to Minako. "I take it I'm the only one who doesn't know what's going on here?"

His girlfriend winked. "Yep."

Usagi smiled as she stepped back. "You've grown so much! How long-"

"Oh, wow!" Chibiusa rushed forward, practically tackling Corey. "I can't believe you're actually here!"

He looked down awkwardly, his hands hanging loose at his sides. "What's happening?"

"Aww…" Minako cooed. "That's so cute!"

"It is!" Usagi agreed.

He looked over at them, his eyes begging for help. "Why is she hugging me?"

Chibiusa looked up with a wide grin. "Because we're friends, silly!"

Corey began pulling back gently. "Look, kid-"

Her reaction was immediate. "I'm _not _a kid! I'm twelve years old!" She stepped away from him and stomped her foot for emphasis. "Young you is kind of a jerk!"

"He doesn't mean it, Chibiusa," Minako said quickly. "Corey's just a little confused. Why don't you come give me a hug while he works things out?"

Chibiusa glared at him for a moment longer, before turning to face the blonde. "Okay, Minako, I…oh, no!" She pointed at her shoulder in a panic. "What happened to you?"

"Oh, this?" Minako gestured to her sling. "Just the hazards of being Sailor Venus. Don't worry about me; I'll be fine in no time." She wrapped her good arm around the girl. "I'm so glad you're here! Now you can come to the awesome surprise party Usagi and the others are throwing me for my birthday!"

Usagi let out a frustrated groan. "Minako! How do you always know? We made sure you were on the other side of the city before we started planning this one!"

"Oh, I have my ways," Minako said, leaning back and winking at Chibiusa mischievously. "What do you think? Sounds like fun, right?"

"Definitely!" Chibiusa agreed. "But I don't have a present for you."

Minako smiled. "Oh, you don't need to get me anything. Just getting to see you is enough!"

"No! I have to get you something!" Chibiusa hugged her again, then abruptly rushed off. "Hotaru! I've missed you so much!"

Corey made his way over to Usagi and crossed his arms. "I'm getting the sense I'm missing some crucial details here, Usagi." He gestured at the pink-haired girl as she practically smothered Hotaru.

"Hmmm?" The blonde looked up at him and smiled. "Oh, right. Sorry, Corey, I guess I'm already so used to having you around that I forget you're still new here." She looked over at the new arrival. "Chibiusa is officially Usagi Small Lady Serenity of Crystal Tokyo; daughter of Neo-Queen Serenity and King Endymion."

"But…" His head was starting to hurt. "Aren't _you _Neo-Queen Serenity?"

"No...I'm Usagi Tsukino," she said, laughing. "But I _will _be Neo-Queen Serenity. Someday."

Corey looked over at the girl again; she was chatting excitedly with Ami and Makoto. _She moves around like Usagi!_ "So, she's your…"

"Yes. Mamoru and I's future daughter."

He caught Setsuna's gaze and waved her over. "And you're okay with this? Doesn't her presence here break some kind of…temporal law?"

"Temporal law?" Setsuna actually chuckled. "I'm not aware of any such law. As for Chibiusa's presence here? That is…complicated."

He felt his irritation rising at her cavalier attitude. _Oh, no, you don't. _"Complicated? After all the-"

"Hey!" Minako abruptly leaned over and seized his arm. "If you're all caught up now, how about apologising to Chibiusa for the kid comment? I think you really hurt her feelings!" She tugged on his arm, ignoring his protests, and led him over to the girl; Corey had the distinct impression Minako was running interference to stop him arguing with Setsuna. "Chibiusa, Corey has something he'd like to say to you."

The girl glared at him as she folded her arms across her chest. "You're not going to call me a kid again, are you?"

Her angry look reminded him of Usagi; she did resemble her _mother _a little, now that he was paying attention. "Uh…" He dropped to one knee. "I'm sorry about that. I was…confused?" Minako nodded approvingly. "I, er…I didn't realise how old you actually were." He extended his hand. "Maybe we could start over?"

"Well…" She appeared to consider it for a moment, then took his hand and shook it gently. "Alright. I'll forgive you just this once, but only because you're always so nice to me!"

"That's, uh…very gracious of you." Corey had no idea what else to say. Kids – that is, pre-teen girls - had never really been his strong suit. _Or girls of any age, for that matter_, he admitted silently.

She peered up at him curiously. "You look different without a beard..."

"Small Lady!" Setsuna said firmly. "You know better than to discuss future events!"

Corey stared at her in disbelief; all five Inner Senshi joined him. Luna and Artemis just shook their heads wearily, while Titus seemed almost amused.

"I'm sorry," Makoto said slowly, raising her hand, "but how is Corey knowing he grows a beard in the future dangerous?"

Setsuna frowned. "Haven't any of you heard of the butterfly effect?"

Usagi shrugged. "What does a terrible movie have to do with Corey's future beard?"

Corey stifled a laugh; that was a classic Usagi line if ever he'd heard one_._

Ami had it covered. "Actually, Usagi, it's a principle of chaos theory. The smallest occurrence, like the flapping of a butterfly's wings, can have a ripple effect of greater and greater consequence on future events."

Her fellow Sailor Senshi just stared at her in silence; it was obvious that none of them had managed to stay with her for that one.

She sighed. "If Corey grows a beard early, Crystal Tokyo could cease to exist."

The girls immediately launched into exaggerated agreement, like they had understood all along; he just sighed. Their antics could be a little annoying sometimes, but he had to admit that things were certainly more entertaining with them around.

Ami must have heard his sigh. "I lost you too, didn't I?"

"Hmm? Oh, no, I understood you fine." Corey glanced over at Setsuna. "I just doubt the space-time continuum will implode if I grow a beard a little earlier than I'm supposed to."

Setsuna glared at him. "Well, of course it won't! You're just being facetious!"

"And you're being ridiculous! You're arguing about something completely insignificant, like a _beard_, when Usagi's future _daughter_ is standing right over there!"

Setsuna's mouth opened…then snapped shut just as quickly.

"Holy crap," he said slowly. "You're actually speechless!"

She glared at him, but a faint blush on her cheeks confirmed his triumph.

"You really have _nothing_ to say?! I don't believe it!"

Minako shook her head wearily. "Humility in victory, cutie..."

"I'm sorry," Chibiusa said quietly. "I didn't mean to start an argument."

"Oh, never mind those two." Makoto knelt down beside her. "Corey doesn't need much of an excuse to argue with the Outer Senshi; trust me."

"Hey!" he protested.

"Although," she continued, "it's usually Haruka he gets into it with."

"It happens all the time," Usagi agreed. "Whether you're around or not."

Rei nodded sagely. "You can say that again."

"Thanks a lot," he grumbled.

Chibiusa tugged on his arm. "So we can be friends now, right?"

"Uh…" He glanced at Minako, who nodded quickly. "Sure." He raised an eyebrow in Setsuna's direction. "Assuming that won't cause World War Three or something equally horrible?"

Setsuna just rolled her eyes. "Proceed."

"Hey, Usagi!" Rei said, glancing over at her friend. "Didn't you still have to get a few things for Minako's party anyway? You could take Chibiusa along, and help her find a present."

Usagi waved her off. "Nah, I don't wanna do that."

"Usagi." The shrine maiden's tone hardened. "You were just telling me earlier that you _need _to get a few last minute _things_ for Minako's party. _Minako's _party."

"Oh, right!" Her voice suddenly increased in pitch. "Yes, some _things_. Thanks for reminding me, Rei!"

Minako folded her arms across her chest and glared at her. "You forgot to buy me a present, didn't you?"

Usagi gasped indignantly. "Minako, I am shocked and appalled that you would-"

"Don't even bother, Odango," Rei said, laughing. "You're a terrible liar!"

She hung her head. "…yeah, okay. I forgot to buy you a present."

"Well…" Minako turned to Corey and smiled. "At least my super thoughtful boyfriend didn't forget!"

Corey froze. _Uh-oh…I was hoping that wouldn't come up. _"Uh…"

Minako's eyebrow twitched; a clear warning sign of impending doom. "Uh?"

He swallowed, and laughed nervously; it was eerily similar to her own nervous laugh. _Dear god, she's rubbing off on me more and more every day! _

His girlfriend placed her good hand on her hip. "Don't try that whole 'I forgot how to speak' routine on me, mister! It didn't work a thousand years ago, and it won't work now. I've been dropping hints about my birthday since we started dating, Corey!"

He backed away slowly. "Well, you see…the thing is…it's been a crazy couple of weeks, and, you know…we've been together such a short time, that…uh…" _Just admit fault and apologise, man! She's not buying it! _He bowed his head in contrition. "Sorry, Minako. It, uh…it's my bad."

She was clearly unimpressed by his apology. "Well, I _was_ looking forward to spending the afternoon with you…but it looks like you're going shopping with Usagi instead."

He frowned. "But, I'm no-"

Makoto clamped her hand over his mouth. "Corey! I've seen that look on her face before, and trust me; you're about ten seconds away from a Crescent Beam Shower! Just smile, nod, and get out of here while you still can!"

Corey noted Minako's flashing eyes and flushed cheeks, and nodded slowly. "I fink yuh rite."

"Oops!" Makoto removed her hand. "Try again."

"I said, I think you're right." He turned to Usagi and forced a smile. "So, Usagi…mall, huh?"

"It sure looks that way," she agreed. Her gaze shifted to Chibiusa. "Did you at least remember to bring some money with you this time?"

The younger girl rolled her eyes. "I told you last time, Usagi, we don't use money in Crystal Tokyo. Not like yours, anyway!"

A familiar wail broke out. "My poor purse!"

* * *

Noboru Hayashida leaned back against the plush leather seat of his private car and closed his eyes. Japan's Minister of Defence just wanted to get home, have a drink, and forget about his troubles. _Damn this traffic_, he thought acidly. _Don't they know how important I am? I should fire this idiot driver; Koji never would have gotten stuck in this mess. _He was in a foul mood. _I deserve better!_

_Yes…you do deserve better…you deserve _more_…_

His eyes shot open as he looked around; he was alone in the back of the car, and the partition was up. The middle-aged politician shook his head and settled back, closing his eyes again. It was clearly just his tired mind agreeing with him.

_You've been a loyal member of the party for as long as anyone…when will it be your time?_

Noboru opened his eyes. "What? Who said that?" There was no doubt about it; _someone _was speaking to him. He reached out and flicked the switch to lower the partition. "You! Did you say something?"

His driver glanced up at him from the rear-view mirror. "No, Minister. Nothing."

The partition raised again, and he glanced around anxiously. Was he really that tired? The voice sounded so real, yet there was nobody else here.

_I am a friend, Minister Hayashida. I wish to see you succeed…nothing more…_

Noboru recoiled as a shadow appeared on the seat beside him; it was the vague shape of a man, but featureless. He reached for the partition control again in a near-panic…but something stopped him from pressing it.

_Be at ease…I will not harm you…_

"This is…a hallucination. I'm just tired. Or…I'm asleep already. That must be it! I'm dreaming!"

_I am no dream, Minister…you are very much awake, and I am as real as you are…_

"If this is no dream, then I must have had too much wine with lunch," Noboru said, stubbornly holding on to reason and logic.

_You have been the Minister of Defence for several years, now…you _know_ there are things in this world that defy convention…I am but one of them…_

He frowned. "Assuming I even believe you, what would a creature such as you want with me?"

_I see the potential for greatness in you, Minister…I simply wish to help you achieve your ambitions…_

"What help could a…_spirit _provide?" he scoffed.

_I hear a great many things, Minister…I can provide you with much useful information…and I can be _most _persuasive…I can open doors for you…forge alliances…_

"Speak plainly, spirit." Noboru stared into its blank face. "What do you offer?"

_You are correct…you _do _deserve more…much more…and with my help, you shall have it…you shall rise through the party ranks…until you reach the very pinnacle of Japanese politics…_

"Prime Minister?" Noboru whispered.

_Indeed…and with it…power…_

He stared across at the shadow suspiciously. "And what would you gain from all of this?"

_I would ask…a favour…something small, in the future…when you are firmly established in your new office…_

Noboru shook his head slowly. "I'm still not convinced."

_A demonstration, then…tomorrow, in your office…after that, if you should wish to speak to me again…I will be listening…_

"Wait, I…" Silence was his only reply, and the Minister of Defence was left to wonder if any of it had been real at all.

* * *

Corey followed along behind Usagi and Chibiusa; he'd decided the two were actually scarily alike after spending a little time together with them. He found himself hanging back with Hotaru, largely to preserve his own sanity. The two girls had done nothing but argue since they left the shrine; they were acting more like sisters than mother and daughter.

"I can't believe you couldn't scrape together _some _money," Usagi grumbled. "Your parents are the king and queen!"

Chibiusa countered quickly. "_I_ can't believe how cheap you are!"

Corey just shook his head, and caught Hotaru glancing at him in the process. "Uh…how's your shoulder doing?"

Hotaru didn't look back at him. "It's alright. It doesn't bother me much anymore."

"That's good." He paused awkwardly. "Do you, uh...listen to much music?"

"Not really."

He resisted the urge to roll his eyes; this was harder than he'd thought it would be. "Well...do you have any hobbies? What do you like doing in your spare time?"

"Homework takes up a lot of my time." There was the briefest pause. "But…I suppose I like painting."

"That's pretty cool." Corey managed a faint smile. "Me? I don't have an artistic bone in my body. I can barely draw stick figures!"

She actually laughed quietly, surprising him. "That's okay. I bet you're good at other things."

"Thanks, Hotaru...that's kind you to say." They dropped into silence again; he'd chalk that up as a partial success and try again another time.

"Hey, Hotaru, stop flirting with Corey and come talk to me!" Chibiusa called. "Usagi's being annoying!"

The blonde took exception to that. "Hey!"

Corey rolled his eyes. "Oh, haha. She wasn't flirting with-"

Hotaru's face turned bright red, and she quickly sped up to join Chibiusa ahead of them.

Usagi burst out laughing as the two girls ran off ahead, and waited for him to catch up. "So, trying to get to know Hotaru a little better, huh?"

"Trying's a good word for it. I just don't get kids." _Uh-oh. _"Uh, young ladies, I mean." He shrugged. "Still, I got a laugh out of her, I guess. That's progress, right?"

"Oh, Hotaru's like that with everyone at first," Usagi said. "She'll warm up to you in time." She glared at the distant pink-haired girl. "Chibiusa's the one you need to watch out for. She's manipulative, that one!"

Corey just stared at her in confusion. _Manipulative? Isn't she your_ _daughter?_

She stretched. "Anyway...see anything for Minako yet?"

"Nope. Nothing."

Usagi sighed. "I didn't mean to forget her birthday, but it's like you said! Things have been kinda crazy over the last few weeks."

"Tell me about it." He wasn't sure he'd ever find anything worthwhile. "I feel like our relationship is all backwards. I know all the deep, meaningful stuff about Minako; I _know _I love her, and I can even tell you every reason why. But when it comes to the superficial, like what kind of clothes she likes, or who her favourite band is? I just don't know her that well at all!"

"I know how you feel," Usagi agreed. "It was odd for Mamo-chan and I at first, too. We were…I guess we were _rivals _of a sort, for the first few months we knew each other. He annoyed me, I annoyed him…and then suddenly, we were in love! It's definitely unconventional…but I wouldn't have it any other way."

He chuckled. "I wouldn't change a thing, either."

Usagi came to a sudden halt. "Here we go…jewellery is always a safe bet! If you want a recommendation, Minako likes yellow gold the best. Oh, and topaz. It's her birthstone."

"Thanks, Usagi. That's good advice." He began looking over the window stock. "Maybe something with a…" He trailed off, his words forgotten as he saw it; the perfect gift. It was simple, and plain, but it looked strangely familiar...

…_he reached out to take hold of her necklace gently; it was a small golden heart, with the symbol of Venus engraved in the centre. It was the only thing she wore…besides her beautiful smile._

"_Do you like it?" Mina asked, glancing down. "My mother gave it to me just after I became Sailor Venus."_

"_It's beautiful," he replied, raising his hand to stroke her cheek. "Just like you…"_

_Her smile somehow became even more radiant as she leaned in for a kiss. "Flatterer…"_

"Corey?"

He shook his head; Corval's memories were largely inert, but he still managed to lose himself in one every now and then. "That's it."

"What is?" Usagi asked.

"That heart in the middle there."

She leaned towards the glass, searching for it. "Oh, yeah, that _is_ nice…but it looks expensive."

"It's perfect!" Corey was already heading for the door.

"Hey," Usagi called. "Wait up!"

The sales assistant smiled warmly as he approached the counter. "Can I help you, sir?"

"Uh, yeah, hi. The gold heart pendant in the window...can I ask how much that is?"

"Of course." She wandered over and pulled it out. "This one?"

"That's it."

"It's currently on sale for thirty-thousand yen."

Usagi winced for him. "Ouch."

He thought it over. _That's pretty much everything I have right now. But it's the perfect gift; I just know it._ _I can afford to miss a couple of meals, right? _There was always the emergency credit card if he had to eat desperately. _Titus will be pissed...but it's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission, right?_ "I'll take it. Out of interest…do you offer engraving?"

She glanced at Usagi and smiled. "A message for your girlfriend?"

He looked over at the blonde…and burst out laughing. "Oh, her? No, no, no, she's not my girlfriend! God, no!"

Usagi folded her arms across her chest and glared at him. "And just what do you mean by 'god, no'?!"

_Uh-oh. _Now there were _two _crazy blonde girls mad with him.

* * *

Chibiusa wandered along beside Hotaru. Corey and Usagi had just disappeared into a jewellery store; they'd likely be a while. Jewellery was really more of a boyfriend gift anyway.

"Any ideas, Hotaru?" she asked. "What's Minako into these days?"

Hotaru was her usual quiet self. "I don't really know...we don't talk much." She shrugged. "Boys?"

"Well, I hope not!" Chibiusa said, laughing. It was such an obvious answer! "She has Corey now, and I know for a fact that they're gonna be together for a _long _time!"

Her friend thought about it some more. "Singing?"

"She does like singing...but I'm not sure what kind of present fits with that." Chibiusa sighed. "I wish I had more time to think, but I never know exactly when the time key will bring me back!"

Hotaru shrugged. "Sorry, Chibiusa. I don't really know what else you could get Minako."

"That's okay, I'll think of-" Panicked screams cut her off. "What was that?"

Hotaru was already scanning the area. "Over there!" She pointed to a distant toy store; people were streaming through the doors. "Come on, Chibiusa!"

She was suddenly reluctant. "Uh…don't you think we should get Usagi and Corey?"

"I'll call them on the way!"

The two girls reached the toy store in seconds, and ducked down a nearby service corridor; Hotaru pulled out her transformation wand and held it in the air. "Saturn Crystal Power, Make Up!"

Chibiusa followed suit. "Moon Crisis Power, Make Up!"

In a flash, Sailor Chibi Moon and Sailor Saturn stood in their places. The two Sailor Senshi rushed towards the doorway; there were unconscious people everywhere. Saturn knelt beside a young boy, no older than six, and checked for a pulse.

"He's alive," she said quietly. "Hopefully, they all are."

Gleeful laughter erupted from deeper inside the store. "Oh, yes! Such delicious energy! So many potential stars for my Tragic Carnival!"

Chibi Moon swallowed nervously. "Where is Sailor Moon?"

"I couldn't get through to her." Saturn clenched her Glaive tighter. "Something's interfering with the communicators. I can't reach anyone!"

"So it's up to us, then." Chibi Moon breathed out slowly. "I'm not sure how much good my Pink Moon Stick will be…but I've been practicing with Venus and Mars back home, when mama isn't watching; I think I can surprise this thing. Whatever it is."

"Alright. Let's go," Saturn raised her weapon and rushed forward silently to take cover behind a shelf, peering around it and further into the store.

Chibi Moon joined her a moment later. "Do you see anything?"

"There are more people on the floor. Adults and children," Saturn whispered. "I can see a shadow moving, but-"

A sudden voice from behind interrupted her. "I spy with my little eye, something beginning with…S!"

Chibi Moon spun and shrieked in surprise; a blue-skinned man stood behind them, wearing a black and purple jester costume. The Sailor Senshi was confused by his sudden appearance, and his attire; he even wore a floppy hat with bells on it, and carried a small sceptre with a carved face on the top. His _own _face, she realised, when she looked closer.

He grinned widely, showing off a mouthful of large yellow teeth. "Sailor Senshi? My, my, what a delightful surprise! I didn't expect to find your kind here! How positively exciting!"

She backed up a few steps; there was just something off-putting about this jester. His mouth was almost too big for his face, and she could have sworn the face on his sceptre had changed; it had been smiling, but now it was angry.

"Oh, what's the matter?" he asked, stepping forward. "Don't tell me you're afraid of old Avan? I'm nothing but a harmless entertainer, I assure you!"

"Avan?" Saturn repeated cautiously.

"Ah, but of course! Where _are _my manners?" He bowed with a sudden flourish. "Avan the Trickster, at your service!"

"You…you seem anything but harmless!" Chibi Moon said defiantly. "Look at all these people you've hurt!"

"Me?" 'Avan' looked around in apparent confusion. "Oh, no, no, no, my dear. I had nothing to do with this! It was _him_!"

Chibi Moon followed his finger…only to find nobody there. _Oh, stupid Usagi! _She turned back to find him right in front of her, with a decidedly malicious grin on his wide lips. "Oh, no…you fell for the oldest trick in the book!"

He gripped her around the throat, surrounding her in a crackling energy field; a scream of pain escaped her throat as he shocked her, and she felt her strength fading. _He's draining my energy!_

"Sailor Chibi Moon!" Saturn raised the Silence Glaive. "Death Reborn-"

"Uh-uh-uh!" The jester wiggled his free finger towards her. "You wouldn't want to harm your little pink-haired friend, would you? I'll snap her neck like a twig!"

Saturn glared at him, but backed down.

"That's better!" he laughed. "Now...let me get a good look at you!" His eyes roamed over them, and he snorted in disgust. "They just don't make Sailor Senshi like they used to! You're mere children…but excellent candidates for my Tragic Carnival! I do need some new talent, after all!"

Chibi Moon managed to reach her subspace pocket, and drew the Pink Moon Stick from behind her back. She shoved it into his face and called her attack. "Pink Sugar Heart Attack!"

"Ow!" 'Avan' dropped her as the little pink hearts began slamming into his face. "Stop it!" He swatted at them angrily. "Cut it out...that's mildly irritating!"

She backed away quickly, but inadvertently stepped on Saturn's foot and landed on her as they tumbled to the floor.

"Get off me, Chibi Moon!" Saturn wriggled beneath her. "You're heavier than last time!"

She blushed. "I...I'm a growing girl!"

Their opponent lunged towards them, his wide grin almost splitting his face in half. "Come here, girlie! Give me all your delicious energy!"

Chibi Moon reached up to her forehead and removed her tiara. "Moon Tiara Action!" She hurled the shimmering disc right at him; it struck his chest…and dropped to the floor with a dull clink.

He laughed again. "Is that the best you can-"

"Hey!"

Chibi Moon's gaze snapped to the store's entrance. "Sailor Moon!"

Sailor Moon raised her Tiare …at _her_. "That's _my _move, you little thief!"

The pink-haired girl glanced at Saturn; her friend shared her look of disbelief. "Really?"

'Avan' seemed to size up the new threat. "Another Sailor Senshi? Just how many of you are there on this world?!"

Moon seemed to notice him for the first time. "Gah! What are you supposed to be?"

"As I just finished telling your little friends here, I am Avan…the Trickster!" He bowed again. "Yes, that's right..._the _Avan!"

Sailor Moon stared at him for a few seconds…then reached up to scratch her head. "Who?"

The jester's shoulders slumped as his smile collapsed into a pout. "Really? Nobody remembers me anymore? How rude!" He sighed heavily, and raised his sceptre; the little wooden face was now frozen in silent laughter. "It hardly matters; I'll just devour you and be done with it!"

"Hey, wait a minute!" Moon protested. "That's not how we do things around here! First, we get to introduce ourselves. _T__hen _we fight!"

He blinked. "Really?"

"That's right!" Chibi Moon agreed quickly. "We never got to give our speeches!"

The jester sighed and clicked his fingers; a large inflatable ball appeared behind him, and he flopped down on it. "Proceed."

"Thank you!" Moon cleared her throat, raised her hand into the air theatrically, and pointed at him. "A toy store is a place of joy and wonder! What kind of monster would torment innocent children like this? You're disgraceful!"

Chibi Moon nodded firmly and stepped in beside the blonde Senshi. "A jester is a symbol of joy and laughter, but you've corrupted that symbol for your own nefarious purposes! I say _you're_ the rude one!"

Sailor Saturn raised the Silence Glaive. "You…uh…you're mean…and…I don't like you!"

Sailor Moon shook her head slowly. "Come on, Saturn! You can do better than that!"

Chibi Moon nodded. "Yeah, once more with feeling!"

Saturn shot them a dirty look. "Can't we just kill him already?"

Sailor Moon shook her head, and resumed her routine. "I am the pretty sailor-suited soldier of justice, Sailor Moon!"

"And I'm Sailor Chibi Moon!"

"Sailor Saturn!"

"And on behalf of the moon…"

"And the future moon…"

"And the planet of Silence…"

The three Senshi pointed right at him. "We will punish you!"

'Avan' ignored them; he just stared at his sceptre. "Well, I don't know about you, but I'm bored already." He leaned in close, and held the little face up to his ear. "What's that?" His eyes widened. "Just kill them all? Really? My, you're a bloodthirsty one today!"

Chibi Moon glanced at Sailor Moon nervously. "I'm not sure he's all there, Sailor Moon."

"It sure looks that way," she agreed.

The sceptre turned towards them; it was now contorted in an angry snarl. The jester rose to his feet and grinned, baring suddenly sharp teeth. "It looks like you won't be joining my Tragic Carnival after all, girls…"

Sailor Moon levelled her Tiare at him. "Silver Moon Crystal Pow-"

He tossed a small purple object into the air. "Catch!"

"Huh?" Moon caught it instinctively and stared down at it. "A balloon? What's-" It exploded in a cloud of white powder, leaving her coughing. "Flour? Who throws flour?!"

"Don't take this the wrong way, my dear, but you look rather…_pale_!" He erupted in a fit of giggles, slapping his own knee for emphasis.

"Oh, that does it!" Moon said angrily. "You're in serious…trouble…now?" She wobbled unsteadily on her feet. "Wait...what have you done to me?"

He leaned forward. "I'll let you in on a secret, Sailor Moon…that's not flour. It's a powerful sleeping agent! Perfect for taking annoying little girls like you out of the fight!" He tossed his sceptre into the air, and extended his hands; his fingers elongated and lashed out to wrap around Moon and Saturn like ropes, leaving them trapped. The same energy field crackled into existence around them, and they cried out in pain as he began draining them of their power.

Chibi Moon looked on in horror. _I have to help Usagi and Hotaru! _She dove for her tiara and focused her energy into it again. "Moon Tiara Action!"

"Hey…" Moon called weakly. "Seriously…that's _my _attack…"

It had exactly the same effect as the first time; _none_.

The self-proclaimed Trickster turned a menacing grin on her. "Now, that wasn't very nice! I'll have to give you a good…tongue lashing!" He opened his mouth and a blade began sliding out, followed by a hand…and the rest of an arm. Chibi Moon backed away as he stepped forward; the arm extending from his mouth spun the sword lazily in its hand. Her gaze locked on the sceptre; it was floating in the air beside him, the little face now a laughing, demonic skull.

Sailor Moon slumped forward in the Trickster's grip. "Run…Chibi Moon! Get help…get…the others!"

_I can't leave_, Chibi Moon thought frantically. _He'll drain them…maybe even kill them! But I need help! I can't hurt him on my own! _She looked back and forth between Sailor Moon, Sailor Saturn, and the Trickster.

"What do I do?!" she cried.

* * *

AN: Yeah, yeah, I know I said I was trying to keep my chapters shorter this time around...but what can you do? It was all written anyway, and I figured you wonderful people wouldn't really mind too much ;-) I tried to give this chapter a bit of a Sailor Moon Classic feel; the zany villain, mild insanity from the girls, confusion from the guys (Corey, in this instance) and a civilian issue eclipsing the threat of the big bad (present shopping for Minako overshadowing our old pal 'Rev' aka Jerkface)! Also, Chibiusa finally makes an appearance; I confess to being a little uncertain about bringing her in, but she was the last holdout from the main cast. Hopefully I was able to do her character at least _some _justice. Thanks to everyone for the reviews for chapter one; they helped me get focused and polish off chapter two. More to come soon!


	3. Toy Store Showdown

A blast of golden light shot past Sailor Chibi Moon, severing the Trickster's elongated fingers; he swallowed the arm in his mouth and howled in pain. The severed digits fell to the floor, along with the captive Senshi in his grasp, and shrivelled up as they crumbled to dust. Chibi Moon turned to find a familiar man in armour standing in the store's doorway; she recognised the Guardian Knight of Justice immediately.

Avan's cries of pain became a low cackle. "Bravo, good sir…bravo! What an entrance!" He held up his bleeding, fingerless hands. "I'd applaud you, if I could...but I seem to be missing the _points_!" The jester leapt back into the air and vanished.

Justice blinked over to Moon and Saturn and dropped into a crouch beside the blonde. "Sailor Moon!" He shook her shoulder gently. "Hey, come on. Wake up!"

She groaned and pushed him away. "Just five more minutes, mama..."

Chibi Moon watched as the Guardian Knight rose to his feet and pulled a small object from his belt; Chibi Moon recognised that, too. _His compass...he's trying to find Avan. _She took the opportunity to check on Saturn, but was unable to wake her, despite her best efforts.

"He's still here..." Justice murmured, "but I can't tell where. It's like he's all around us." He slipped the small, golden compass back into the pouch on his belt, and turned to face her. "It looks like we're on our own. These two are in no condition to fight."

Chibi Moon nodded. "I'm ready!"

"What's your name?"

She shot him a dirty look. "You forgot already?!"

His helmet moved from side to side slightly; he was shaking his head. "No. What's your _Senshi _name?"

"Oh!" She felt her cheeks growing hot. _Duh. _"I'm…Sailor Chibi Moon."

"Of course you are." His gauntlet-clad hand extended. "Nice to meet you, Chibi Moon. I'm-"

She shook his hand gently. _This is the second time today._ "Sir Justice. I know you already, remember?"

"_Sir _Justice?" She could hear the surprise in his voice. "Nobody calls me that."

Chibi Moon winked. "Not yet. You'll have to-"

He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her in tight to his chest as he spun around; there was a dull clank of metal on metal and a knife dropped to the ground behind him. _That would have hit me! He saved my life! _She peered out around him to see..._it_.

"Rumbo!"

The new arrival was tall and thin, dressed in a black, skin-tight bodysuit and masquerade mask; it juggled more knives and a flaming stick.

A familiar pair of hands appeared, fingers crawling up the creature's shoulders like spider legs. Avan peeked out from behind it and flashed them a wide, toothy grin. "This…is Rumbo! I thought you might find him…entertaining!"

Justice turned again, keeping himself between Chibi Moon and the enemy. "This is insane!"

The Trickster's head tipped backwards as he laughed. "You finally understand, Mister Shiny!"

"Rumbo!" The creature hurled another knife; Justice knocked it out of the air with his sword and tossed a fireball back in return. The creature opened its mouth and _swallowed _it.

"What the hell?" Justice swore. "Those are the Judicial Flames of Justice! That isn't possible!"

"Is that bad?" Chibi Moon asked, suddenly feeling the urge to hide behind him again.

"Rumbo!" It opened its mouth and spat the fireball right back at him; Justice raised his hand and caught it, letting the flames dissipate harmlessly.

"My, my! If you're in the mood to play catch, I'm game!" Avan tossed another purple balloon at them. "Here!"

"Don't touch it!" Chibi Moon cried.

Justice grabbed her shoulders and leapt back, pulling her along with him; the balloon burst when it hit the ground, sending another cloud of white powder into the air.

"Oh, fuss and bother!" Avan stomped his foot. "No fair warning him, girlie!"

Rumbo began to move in, hurling knife after knife even as more continued to appear in its hands. Justice brought his shield up; it was stopping the knives, but he couldn't attack in return. Chibi Moon glanced over her shoulder and saw his strategy; they were standing right in front of the unconscious Sailor Senshi. _He's protecting them, too, _she realised. _But if he moves, they're exposed. What do we do?_

"Rumbo!" The lanky creature raised the burning stick, and swallowed the tip.

"Uh-oh," Justice muttered.

It opened its mouth and breathed a torrent of fire at them; it washed over Justice's shield and around them, diverted by the shimmering energy disc. Chibi Moon glanced down and saw his boots slowly sliding on the floor; he was being pushed back by the force of the attack. At long last, the flames died out, leaving them unharmed; the knives began flying again almost immediately.

"This is no good!" Chibi Moon raised the Pink Moon Stick. "I'm gonna get you an opening!"

"No, don't-"

She leapt out from behind Justice and pointed her weapon towards their opponent. "Pink Sugar Heart Attack!" The hearts shot out...and fell to the floor about a foot too short.

Avan burst out laughing. "Oh, my! That's simply adorable! The baby Senshi thinks she's helping!"

Rumbo actually halted its attack and stared at her. "...Rumbo?"

"I am _not _a baby!" Chibi Moon took one big step forward. "Pink Sugar Heart Attack!" This time she was right on target; Rumbo's face.

"Rumbo?!" It began swinging its arms wildly as it retreated, her attack crashing into its face. "Rumbo! Rumbo! Rumbo?!"

There was a sudden flash of light, and Justice appeared in mid-air before it; he swung his sword and separated Rumbo's head from its shoulders in an instant. The creature dropped to the floor, the knives in its hands clattering as they fell beside it.

Avan's laughter stopped immediately; the little face on his sceptre was now angry. "You…you killed my Rumbo!"

Justice reappeared before her in a flash of light, staring the jester down. "Return the energy you've stolen, and leave this world in peace...or I'll end you."

"Oh, such idle threats." There was no trace of merriment in Avan's voice now. "I am far more powerful than you realise, Guardian Knight. You'll _pay _for your arrogance!" He raised his sceptre; the little mouth opened and a blast of negative energy fired out. It smashed through Justice's shield like it wasn't even there and hit him in the chest, knocking him back into a shelf. Chibi Moon spotted her tiara and dove for it, but found herself tackled.

"Let me go!"

Avan held her before him like a shield. "I like you, girlie…you've got spunk. You'll be a perfect fit for my Tragic Carnival!"

"Let her go!" Sailor Moon was back on her feet, however unsteadily.

"I don't think so," Avan said, sneering. "She's going to join me! Think of her as a replacement for my Rumbo!"

As Chibi Moon struggled, a rose lodged in the Trickster's cheek, provoking a pained howl from his lips; she slipped free of his grasp and leapt forward out of his reach.

Sailor Moon didn't hesitate. "Starlight Honeymoon Therapy Kiss!" Several blasts of pink light lashed out, striking the jester repeatedly, and he vanished with another cry of pain. "That's for the flour, you jerk!"

"Chibi Moon!" Tuxedo Kamen rushed over from his position at the door.

"Tuxedo Kamen!" She met him halfway and hugged him tightly.

"When did you get here?" he asked.

"Just a little earlier. I was gonna come see you, I swear, but Usagi said you were at work!"

"Yes, I was. I'd just finished when I felt her transform." He smiled over at Moon. "Are you alright, Usako?"

She nodded faintly. "I will be." A sudden yawn followed. "Um…after some sleep."

Justice extended his hand and helped Saturn to her feet. She blushed again, but murmured a quick 'thank you'. Chibi Moon stifled a laugh; Hotaru was so shy.

The Guardian Knight headed for Rumbo's body. "Strange…" As he reached for the creature's head, it burst into blue flame and crumbled away. "It was like clay. No arteries, no oesophagus…not even any blood."

"What are you thinking?" Tuxedo Kamen asked.

Justice glanced up. "I'm not sure yet…but something's off about this whole thing. Sailor Moon, what do you-"

"I'm still not talking to you," she said quickly. "Don't think I forgot what you said back in that jewellery store!"

Justice sighed. "This again? I just meant it would be weird because we're such good friends!"

Tuxedo Kamen looked back and forth between them both. "What did I miss?"

"The shop assistant mistook _me _for Corey's girlfriend," Moon said, glaring at the Guardian Knight, "and his reaction was 'god, no'!" She pressed against her boyfriend's chest. "You're thrilled to be dating me, right, Mamo-chan?"

Chibi Moon looked up at Tuxedo Kamen and saw fear in his eyes. _Oops._

* * *

Ami looked on, quietly impressed, as Titus worked on his _consultation _with NASA; the command centre's screen was filled with dozens of lines of indecipherable code. _I've seen Luna and Artemis type when they need to, but Titus seems to be in his element down here. _Despite her initial enthusiasm, she found she couldn't focus entirely on what he was doing; her mind was elsewhere.

_Ryo_, she thought sadly. _This is the longest stretch together that we've managed, and now I may be the one to tear us apart again. _Ami looked down at her fingers; she was fidgeting nervously again, something she'd never done before. _This really has me distracted. Focus on Titus, and what he's doing._

"Having any luck?" she asked quietly.

Titus' gaze remained on the screen; he didn't even miss a keystroke. "Luck? Luck has nothing to do with it, my dear. This is all about _skill_." There was a brief pause. "That sounded a touch arrogant, didn't it?"

Ami nodded mutely. _Just a touch?_

He managed the best shrug she'd ever seen a cat perform. "You know what? I'm okay with it."

It took all of Ami's effort not to roll her eyes. _Titus is friendly enough, but I don't know how Corey put up with his overbearing personality for three years. Then again…he seems to handle Minako's crazy side well enough._ _Corey must have the patience of a saint. _That just depressed her again. _Like Ryo. He waited for me for years, and now..._

"I'm curious, Ami..."

She looked back at him. "Yes?"

"Have you decided to accept that position in the German pre-medical program yet?"

_What? How does...wait a minute._ "How do you know about that?" She rose to her feet. "Have you been spying on me?"

"Not spying!" he protested. "Merely...observing. I keep an eye on things that could impact the rest of the team." His paws hadn't stopped typing. "I need to do something to keep my skills sharp, after all."

Ami crossed her arms over her chest. "So what you're saying is, yes, you've been spying on me…and the rest of the Senshi, too."

"Damn." He chuckled quietly. "I forgot who I was dealing with. Yes, fine, I keep an eye on all of you on occasion. I...it was my job for a very long time, and I only do it because..." He trailed off abruptly.

Ami gestured for him to continue. "Because?"

"Because, I worry..." He sighed heavily. "I'm beginning to feel somewhat redundant."

"Redundant?" _His ability to hold a conversation while cracking one of the most secure databases on the planet is…impressive._ "In what way?"

"Well, I'm not really needed anymore, am I?" He glanced at her for a brief moment. "My entire reason for being here was to help Corey prepare for the Revenant Knight's arrival. Now, he's regained his Silver Millennium strength, _and_ he has Mina back in his life." His voice dropped to a mutter. "As much of Mina that actually exists in Minako, anyway." The cat sighed. "No…he doesn't need me anymore. None of you do. There's no place for a spy in this group."

Ami reached up tentatively to pat his back. "You're wrong, Titus. Corey still needs you…maybe just in a different way. You're his _friend. _That's not going to change."

Titus was silent for a few seconds. "I suppose you're right. Somehow, despite all my scheming and lies…we _are _still friends. Aren't we?"

"You certainly seem to be," she agreed.

"It's odd how our lives turn out so differently from the way we planned," he murmured. "I've been a spy...Serenity's Shadow...a guardian...a mentor...and now, it seems, a _friend_. That's not such a bad place to end up at all, I suppose." He managed the barest hint of a smile. "Thank you, Ami. That is…reassuring."

They dropped into silence as he refocused on the screen, and Ami thought over his words. _If Titus can accept this change in his life, can't I do the same?_

"By the way…you never answered _my _question, despite your most impressive little evasion."

Ami sighed. "I don't honestly know what I'm going to do yet, Titus. I haven't been this indecisive about something in years."

He kept his gaze on the screen. "Well, what would your friends want you to do?"

That, she knew. "They'd want me to take the opportunity."

"And Ryo?" Titus asked. "What would he want?"

_I know the answer to that as well, _she thought sadly. "He'd tell me to take it. He knows better than anybody how long I've wanted this."

The cat turned to her once more. "Then, forgive me, but…I fail to see the reason for your indecision?"

"The problem is _me_." Ami stared down at her hands. "Somehow, I can't bring myself to decide. I want this so much, Titus…but I don't want to lose Ryo or my friends in the process!"

A sudden beeping from the computer drew Titus' attention away. "My apologies, but I believe...I'm...in!" The NASA logo suddenly appeared on the screen, followed by lists of files and folders. "Hmmm…let's see." He typed furiously for several seconds, as data flashed over the screen. "It would seem they're already aware of the Revenant Knight's presence...but they have no idea what he truly is." His paws flew over the keys, and a full-screen image appeared; a cloud of black ash, barely visible against the backdrop of space. "They've categorised him as some sort of 'stellar drift'." The cat actually snorted. "How quaint."

Ami joined him at the computer, staring up at the image on the screen. "And how far away is he?"

Titus typed in a few more commands. "According to my calculations, at his current rate of approach, the Revenant Knight will reach Earth in..." He looked up slowly. "Six weeks."

* * *

Minako scrolled through another audition listing on her phone and sighed. She was still at the shrine, along with Rei and Makoto. _There are s__o many ways to get started in music...but I've been away from that life for such a long time. Can I even do it anymore? _She looked up at her friends as she contemplated the answer. Makoto was reading a cookbook; Minako wasn't quite sure how. In her mind, it was like reading a dictionary, or an encyclopaedia, but her friend seemed to be managing it nonetheless. And as for Rei… "Don't you ever stop sweeping?"

Rei paused and shrugged. "I find it peaceful."

"Sweeping is peaceful?" Minako made a face. "I hope I'm never bored enough for that to make sense!"

Rei just stuck her tongue out and resumed her work. Minako shook her head, and leaned forward to grab her handbag. She paused as a sudden burst of pain shot up her spine; it was less frequent, now, but annoying all the same. _I hate this; I feel like an old woman!_

Makoto must have noticed. "Hey, you okay?"

She forced a smile. "Fine. It's just a bit of a spasm."

"Alright. How about in general? I haven't seen much of you since…well, all of that." Makoto smiled gently. "It's been a hell of a week, huh?"

"Tell me about it," Minako sighed. "I'm…okay. The brace helps a lot, and my shoulder's already feeling better. The sooner I can stop wearing this stupid sling the better!"

Makoto shot her a knowing look. "What about the rest of it?"

An image of Sailor Fury flashed through Minako's mind, and she shuddered involuntarily. "It's been…rough. I still see her when I think about it, but…the nightmares have stopped, at least for the moment. I actually slept okay the last couple of nights." She glanced down at her hands; if she looked hard enough, she could almost see Fury's blood on them. "I know I didn't kill her, Mako, but…that doesn't help much, you know?"

The brunette nodded silently.

Minako glanced over at the Tokyo skyline. "I just wish I could have helped her. She was confused. Sick. It…it wasn't all her fault."

"After all that she put you through, you still can't hate her, can you?" Makoto sighed. "You're a better person than I, Minako."

Minako almost laughed. _But it would just be bitter._ "I don't know about that, Mako..."

Makoto changed the subject quickly, and she was grateful for it. "How has it been at home, with your parents knowing you're a Sailor Senshi?"

Minako smiled faintly. "It's not so bad. They had a lot of questions, at first...and I did have to model the uniform for them. They don't like the skirt, specifically its length."

Rei laughed quietly behind her. "I'm not surprised!"

"Still…it's nice not to have to lie anymore." Minako shifted uncomfortably as another flare of pain spread out from her lower back. "How about you, Mako? How are _you _doing after…well, you know?" She paused awkwardly, unsure of how to approach it. "You really liked him, huh?"

Makoto stared down at the ground and nodded. "I tried telling myself I didn't…that Garrett wasn't real, and never was. Not the way I thought, anyway. But…yeah. I liked him a lot." It was her turn to sigh. "I should have listened to your advice, Minako. You warned me not to fall for him, but I didn't listen…and I got my heart broken just like you said I would."

Rei sat beside her and shook her head. "That's the dumbest thing I ever heard. Since when does anyone _let _themselves fall in love?"

Minako felt a light blush spreading across her cheeks. "Yeah...Mako, in hindsight, my advice was a little flawed. What makes love so exhilarating is the fact that we have no control over it. It's fun, and exciting, and even scary, all at the same time…because when it strikes, we're completely powerless to resist."

Rei raised an eyebrow. "Wow…that was unusually poignant for you, Minako."

She managed a half shrug. "It all makes sense to me...now that I'm actually in love."

Makoto flipped her book shut and tossed it to the ground. "I just wish it hadn't happened. Watching Wrath turn on us, almost right away? That hurt even more than watching Corey kill him. In a way, knowing how bad he felt about having to kill him has helped me a lot. We've talked...and he told me a little about Garrod, the man he was before all of this, and-"

Rei glanced nervously at Minako. "You've been spending time with Corey?"

Makoto glanced up at her too, as if realising for the first time what she was saying. "Oh. Uh, that is, I mean-"

Minako waved her off. "Oh, relax, Mako. Corey already told me, and I'm not jealous. Maybe the younger me would have been…but she was kinda nuts anyway."

Rei smirked. "You're trying to tell us _you're_ not?"

Minako rolled her eyes. "Oh, haha."

"Oh, good! You're all still here!" It was Usagi, and the others. They hurried over from the steps, and the blonde flopped down beside Makoto. "You would not believe the shopping trip we just had!"

Corey sat beside Minako, and leaned over to kiss her cheek. "Hey."

"Hey, you," she cooed, resting her head on his shoulder_. _"I'm sorry I got so snappy before."

"Oh, no, don't worry about it. You dropped hints, and I…missed them, so it's totally my fault. Right?"

Minako felt a little guilty. _He's normally so thoughtful. Was forgetting my birthday really such a big deal?_ _Yes. Yes it was._On second thoughts, she didn't feel _that _guilty. _A man should _never _forget his girlfriend's birthday! Or their anniversary! But…he did apologise. And he bought me something. Something in that little bag. _Her curiosity had been piqued now, and she leaned towards him with a smile on her face. "Have I told you how cute you are lately? And how much I love you?"

Corey's looked back at her suspiciously. "Yeah?"

The little bag at his side was almost within sight. _Just a little further. _"I'll bet you bought me something super nice, because you're so thoughtful. Right?"

He casually placed his hand over the bag. "Absolutely."

_Enough games, _Minako decided. "Okay, seriously, what'd you get me?"

He shook his head. "Uh-uh. You'll have to wait for your birthday to find out."

"Aww." She winked mischievously. "Don't make me use…the pout."

He froze immediately. "I told you last time that's cheating!"

"The pout?" Chibiusa asked.

"This should be interesting," Makoto said.

Minako faux-coughed into her hand. "You see, Chibiusa, there will come a time, when you have a boyfriend, that you will need to convince him to do what you want. When that time comes, you will have cause to use…the pout."

Mamoru leaned over and tapped her on the shoulder. "Could you _not _corrupt my future daughter, please?"

Usagi nodded. "Yeah, Minako...I'm not sure Chibiusa needs to know this stuff yet."

Mamoru's voice sounded pained. "Yet?!"

Minako flashed them a V-sign. "Don't worry about it! I'll demonstrate…the Sexy Pout of Doom!" She dropped her lips into a deep pout, and batted her eyelashes in Corey's direction. _Ha! This is practically guaranteed to get me a look in that bag!_

Rei shook her head. "He's done for."

"I don't know..." Makoto countered. "I think he can beat it!"

Usagi popped up behind Corey and gripped his shoulders. "Be strong, Corey! You must resist!"

He actually gulped. "That's easy for you to say, Usagi! You're not the one she's giving _that _to!"

Chibiusa seemed confused. "It's just a pout. How does it make Corey do what you want?"

Corey glanced down at her. "Oh, hell no! I'm not even _trying_ to explain that one!"

Mamoru sighed. "Usako? Maybe we should tell everyone about the toy store?"

"Oh, right!" Usagi tapped Minako on the shoulder. "Worry about what's in the bag later. We have bigger problems!"

Minako nodded. "Gotcha, Usagi. Consider Operation Sneak Peek postponed!"

Usagi looked at her strangely for a moment, then shrugged. "Okay. So, trouble!"

"What happened?" Rei asked.

"There was an attack at the mall," she answered. "Some weird jester calling himself Avan-"

"Avan?" Minako looked up at the voice to see Luna and Artemis returning from wherever they'd been napping. The white cat seemed suspicious. "That was how he introduced himself?"

"Yes!" Chibiusa said quickly. "He said his name was Avan the Trickster."

Hotaru nodded. "He claimed to be from the moon. He was wearing a black and purple jester's costume."

"With the hat and sceptre and everything," Usagi agreed.

Artemis glanced at Luna. "But that's lunacy! Avan the Trickster is nothing but a scary story parents told their children. He isn't real!"

Luna nodded. "He was a sort of…bogeyman. Like a campfire story! Avan the Trickster will come and take you away to his Tragic Carnival...that sort of thing."

"He said that too!" Chibiusa glanced over at Hotaru. "He said…we were perfect for his Tragic Carnival!"

Artemis frowned. "Did this Trickster say anything else?"

"Not that I can recall. Nothing useful, anyway." Usagi turned to Corey. "Did he say much to you?"

He shook his head. "Not really...he just summoned that Rumbo thing to fight us. Though…that was strange in itself."

Luna turned to face him quickly. "How so?"

"I cut its head off…but there was no blood, or innards of any kind. It was like a lump of clay had been sliced in half." Corey glanced over at Usagi. "I thought, perhaps, it was a Construct…but it didn't collapse into dust the way they do."

Minako leaned over slowly, glancing down at the bag as he talked. _It's definitely a small box of some sort. Jewellery, perhaps?_ Her eyes widened. _A ring?! No, no, Minako, that would be crazy. Not _that _sort of ring. Cool it, will you? Stop acting crazy!_Corey quickly lifted the bag away from her and moved it to his other side, and she pouted again. _Damn it! So close!_

"It had features, anyway," Usagi said. "It was way too detailed…Avan, too. No, I think we're dealing with something else."

"So…you guys were attacked by a _fairy-tale _character?" Makoto asked. "What the hell is going on?"

"This is strange, indeed," Luna agreed. "Avan the Trickster is an old story; it was old at the fall of the Moon Kingdom. It even predates your mother as queen, Usagi."

"So what do we do now?" Rei looked around. "What's the plan?"

"We'll have to see if Ami can find any trace of this 'Avan'," Artemis said quietly. "But we can't let him be our main focus; we have the Revenant Knight to worry about. We need a strategy for dealing with him…and quickly."

* * *

The spirit faded into existence slowly; it was still difficult to assume physical form. The Trickster had his back to him...juggling multi-coloured balls as he muttered to himself.

_Report, my faithful servant..._

Avan dropped the balls and span around quickly. "Master! It's so good to see you!"

_Did you encounter the Sailor Senshi yet?_

"I did...and it was splendid! They had no idea who or what I was!"

_Excellent...just as I anticipated. They have grown used to fighting serious opponents...a more unorthodox enemy only confuses them..._

"When might I attack again, master?" The Trickster clapped his hands excitedly. "It was ever so much fun!"

_Give them a few days of peace...enough time for them to regain their sense of security. I want them distracted...do what you will with them._

A cold smile spread across Avan's face. "Of course, master, of course! I can't wait! The little ones will serve me, in time. I _will _have them for my Tragic Carnival...I swear!"

* * *

AN: It's been pretty hectic the last week or so, with New Year's Eve and all the other real-world stuff getting in the way, but I finally managed to get chapter three finished. The Trickster is a lot of fun to write, because he's kind of bonkers in an exuberant, silly kind of way - unlike writing Sailor Fury, who was also crazy, but in a much more depressing, 'I'll gut you and paint with your insides' manner :D I had heaps of fun with the Titus/Ami scene, too...I've wanted to give them a little more interaction since I wrote Ami's bad-ass scenes in Act Two, inside Wrath's sanctum; they're becoming unlikely pals. I'm hoping I'll be able to speed up the updates a little now that the craziness of Christmas/New Years is over. Thanks for bearing with me, and as always, I hope you enjoyed it.


	4. Nineteen

AN: Be forewarned...much fluff ahead :D

* * *

"So, Minako..." Usagi leaned across the table rather conspiratorially. "How are things with Corey?"

They sat at a small smoothie kiosk, sipping at their drinks. Minako was sipping, anyway; Usagi had already downed half of hers in one massive gulp. In theory, they were just hanging out, but Minako knew the truth. _She's trying to keep me distracted, hoping I'll forget all about the surprise party they're throwing me at Mako's place later. It's a good effort, Usagi, but I'm not so easily fooled._

"Great!" She wasn't really sure what else to say. "We're in a really good place. He loves me, I love him, and he's opening up more and more every day." Minako idly scratched at her left shoulder; the sling that had plagued her for the last week was gone, but her stitches were starting to itch, just like they had the last time.

Usagi's eyebrow raised curiously. "Have you two…?"

"Have we…?" Several possible questions ran through her head, but Minako was pretty sure she knew what Usagi was referring to. "Usagi! I can't believe _you're _asking something like that!"

Her friend stuck out her tongue. "That's no answer!"

Minako just sighed. _She's awfully interested in my love life all of a sudden…but I guess it would be nice to talk about it with someone. _"No, we haven't. Not yet, anyway. I…I _want_ to, but I always told myself I would wait for the right guy…and at least a month. I've got the right guy in Corey, but…"

"It _has _been almost a month, though, hasn't it?" Usagi stared off into the distance and began counting on her fingers. "Let's see...it's been…um, when did we fight Terror, again?"

"It's early next week," Minako said quietly, feeling a blush come to her cheeks. _I have been giving it a lot of thought lately. _"I've been thinking…that it might be time-"

Their communicators began beeping, interrupting their conversation, and Usagi flipped her device open almost immediately. "Rei? What's going on?"

Minako strained to listen, but she couldn't make out most of what Rei said.

Usagi's eyes went wide; that meant trouble. "Another attack? When?"

_Another attack? _Minako was instantly on-guard; after so many years as a Sailor Senshi, it was second nature to her.

"The shrine, now? But, what about Minako's par-" Rei clearly cut her off, and Usagi nodded reluctantly. "Okay, we'll see you soon." She closed her communicator and sighed. "There's been another attack, and everyone's meeting at the shrine. That means us too."

Something was wrong; Minako could feel it. "But…why didn't they call you in? They didn't even use the emergency alert!"

Usagi shrugged. "Maybe it was all over too soon?" She pushed herself to her feet. "Come on. We'd better get going."

Minako hurriedly followed behind her. "Hold up, Usagi, I can't run that fast yet!"

* * *

The shrine was deserted. Minako looked around the courtyard, but she couldn't see any trace of their friends. "Are you sure she said we were meeting here, Usagi?"

Her friend shot her a dirty look. "Do you really think I could get the shrine mixed up with anything else?"

"Sorry. It's just weird that nobody else is here." She glanced over at Rei's window; it was dark. "Even Rei's gone."

"I'll double check," Usagi said. She slid the door open and disappeared inside.

Minako waited a few seconds, but heard nothing. "Usagi?" There was no reply. She stepped forward cautiously, and poked her head inside. "Usagi? Is…" She trailed off as she realised what was going on. _It's a trap!_

The lights flicked on. "Surprise! Happy Birthday!"

The blonde backed away, startled despite her last-minute realisation. Everyone was in there; the Senshi, minus Haruka, Michiru and Setsuna, along with the three cats, Mamoru and Corey. There were ribbons and other decorations strung up all over the place. Usagi stood in front of everyone, wearing a wide grin on her face. "Ha! It took us four years, and a crazy amount of planning, but we _got_ you!"

Minako raised a trembling finger and pointed at her as she stepped into the room. "You…you..."

Rei snickered. "Admit it, Minako. We finally got you!"

She sighed, lowered her finger and nodded reluctantly. "Yeah. You got me." Her hand came up again quickly as she spun and pointed at the ceiling with a dramatic flourish. "Enjoy your moment of triumph, girls…because it will never happen again!"

They closed in around her and wrapped her up in a group hug; Minako was forced to admit that surprise parties weren't so bad after all.

Usagi broke away first and grabbed hold of her arm, leading her towards a waiting chair. "Come on, it's present time first!" Her voice took on a solemn tone. "The opening of the presents is the most important of the many birthday traditions."

Rei sounded unimpressed. "Don't you think that's a little materialistic, Odango?"

Usagi glared back at her. "Oh, like you don't enjoy getting presents, Pyro!"

"I'm surprised you're even worried about presents with cake in the room!"

"I'm surprised you managed to fit so much of that stick up your butt!" Usagi stuck out her tongue, and Rei quickly followed suit.

Minako sighed. _Some things never change. _She could swear there were literal sparks shooting back and forth between the two.

Luna clearly agreed. "You're both as bad as each other…"

Usagi shrieked in surprise as she was knocked out of the way by Chibiusa; Mamoru held her back as she began squawking incoherently at the girl and shaking her fist in the air.

"Here!" Chibiusa thrust a brightly-coloured package into Minako's hands. "This is from Hotaru and me!"

"Oh, Chibiusa, you two didn't have to get me anything. That's so sweet!" Minako lifted the box and carefully shook it. "I wonder what it could be."

"Stop wondering, just open it and find out!" Makoto insisted.

Minako tried to open the gift neatly, but abandoned her efforts after a few seconds of picking at the tape and tore into the paper itself.

Artemis shook his head; no surprises there. "Well, you held out longer than I thought you would."

"Yeah! That's it!" Chibiusa cheered.

The wrapping paper fell to the floor, revealing a collection of various teas. "Ooh, I love tea!"

"It's for your throat," Chibiusa explained. "When you're going to auditions, or better yet, performing!"

"That's so thoughtful!" Minako waved her forward and wrapped her up in a tight hug. "Thank you so much." She glanced over at Hotaru and smiled; the shy girl was standing a little further away. "You can have a hug too if you want, Hotaru. They're free!"

Hotaru shook her head but did manage a smile in return. "That…that's okay, Minako. I'm glad you like it."

"Careful, Hotaru," Artemis called. "Minako's on a birthday high. She may try and hug you anyway!"

"I love you too, Arty!" Minako blew him a kiss as Usagi pulled Chibiusa out of the way and dropped another present in her lap.

"Here! This one's from…Ami!"

Minako laughed quietly. "I think you're more excited than I am, Usagi!" She tore the paper off Ami's gift, and let out an excited squeal. "The Essential Teacher's Handbook, Ages 4-6." She looked up at Ami. "How did you know I wanted this?"

Ami smiled. "I was with you when you first saw it, remember? You made such a fuss about it, and I figured any textbook that could get you _that _excited had to be good!"

Minako couldn't hold back a laugh at the thought. _That's true. _"Well, it's very much appreciated! This will be a big help with my coursework next year. Thank you, Ami."

Makoto laughed. "Is anyone else still weirded out hearing Minako talk like that about class?"

Artemis started laughing as well, but Minako's quick glare put a stop to that. She coughed into her hand and looked over at Makoto. "As I recall, Mako, you weren't exactly the best student either. We took a make-up exam together one year, remember?"

Makoto kept on laughing, but raised her hand to rub at the back of her head. "Oh, yeah…"

The book was suddenly gone, and another package dropped into her lap in its place; Usagi was handing them to her almost faster than she could open them.

"That one's mine," Rei said, nodding in approval.

Minako ripped it open. "Oh, good luck charms!"

"For auditions," Rei explained.

"I'll need them," Minako said, nodding sombrely as she pulled another item out of the box. "And…an idol CD and DVD collection?"

The shrine maiden folded her arms across her chest and nodded sagely. "To know your enemy, you must first _be _your enemy, Minako. Sing their songs, perform their dances...then finally, when you're prepared…_crush _them!"

Minako could have sworn Rei's eyes were on fire. "Wow, Rei, that's really...thoughtful." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "And a little scary…"

"For once, I agree with Minako," Titus muttered. "Rei _is _scary!"

"Terrifying," Luna agreed. Their eyes went wide as Rei turned a furious glare on them, and Luna leapt into Ami's arms. "We're sorry!"

"Open mine next." Makoto snatched up a little box from the table, beating Usagi to the punch.

"Hey!" she said, pouting. "I'm the gift overseer, Mako!"

"I'm sure you'll manage," Makoto replied, handing the present to Minako.

Minako flipped the box open to reveal a pair of gold and topaz earrings; they were shaped like little hearts. "Oh, Mako, they're gorgeous…but they look so expensive!"

The brunette actually blushed. "I saw them and thought of you. I wanted to get you something nice, for being such a good friend lately."

"But, still…"

Makoto waved her off. "Come on, they were on sale. Don't make a big deal out of it."

Minako leapt to her feet and hugged her tightly. "They're beautiful. I'll put them in as soon as Usagi lets me move. Thank you so much, Mako."

"Alright, alright," Usagi called, pulling her back down into the chair quickly. "Now, this one is from Mamoru and me." She hesitated briefly. "Mainly Mamoru, if I'm honest…but I picked it out."

"Ooh…" Minako perked up as she tore the paper away to reveal a label. "Perfume. _French _perfume." She lifted the cap and sniffed experimentally, feeling her cheeks heat up. "_Sexy _French perfume!"

"Well, you've got a boyfriend now," Usagi said, giggling. "I figured it might come in handy."

"I love it!" Minako gave her a tight hug, then span around and hugged Mamoru without really thinking about it. "Thank you!"

"Uh…no worries," he said awkwardly.

She giggled. "Oh, relax, Mamoru! I know I'm super cute and all, but this is just a friendly hug. We _can _have those, you know!" She turned to see her boyfriend smirking; he obviously found Mamoru's discomfort funny. "Hey, cutie, what are you doing hiding over there in the corner?!"

"I was waiting for the crowd to die down," he answered, pushing himself off the wall slowly.

"Well, come over here and give me a proper birthday greeting!" Minako gave her neck a quick spray with the perfume and pulled him in close. "What do you think?" He actually blushed, prompting a giggle from her.

"It's…great."

"Great?" she repeated, raising an eyebrow. "You _definitely _need to work on your eloquence. I was looking for something a little more like…_sensual_."

"That too." He leaned in to kiss her, and she immediately let her arms snake up around his neck. He tried to pull away after a brief peck, but Minako wasn't done yet.

"Uh-uh," she said, pressing her lips to his again and holding him in place. _It's my birthday, after all. I can have a nice _big_ kiss if I want one. _She let him go eventually, leaving him a little flustered; as always, she found it very cute.

"Get a room, you two," Makoto called.

"We're in one."

Rei glared at them. "Yeah, well stop doing that in _my _room."

"Not to mention in front of Hotaru and Chibiusa," Ami said, blushing.

"They're in love; of course they're kissing!" Chibiusa protested. "Hotaru and I are fine with...oh, where'd she go?" She began looking behind things for her missing friend. "Hotaru?"

Usagi prodded the shrine maiden in the ribs. "Maybe you're just jealous that you don't have anyone giving you passionate kisses, Rei?"

"Oh, shut up, Odango."

Corey cleared his throat. "Uh…happy birthday." He handed her a small, poorly-wrapped box. "Though after that kiss, I kinda feel like it's _my _birthday."

"Surely I'm entitled to a big kiss on today of all days?" Minako asked. He nodded mutely as she took the box from his hand. "What do we have here?" She studied it closely. _Hmm, let's see. A small box with an admittedly _unique _wrapping job._

Makoto and Rei started snickering. "You can cut a Construct to ribbons with no effort at all, but you struggle with gift wrapping?"

Corey glanced down at the floor. "Yeah, well…"

"Aw, don't listen to them," Minako cooed. "I like it...it's how I know you wrapped it yourself!"

"You two have to be the most nauseatingly adorable couple I've ever seen," Rei muttered.

"Hey!" Usagi didn't sound happy. "If anyone's the most adorable couple around here, it's Mamo-chan and I!"

Minako raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Her friend laughed. "But of course."

It sounded like a challenge to Minako. "You say that like it's a fact, but I think Corey and I could give you a run for your money."

"Oh, come on." Usagi grew serious. "You two are cute, Minako - I'll give you that - but Mamo-chan and I are the clear victors in a couple contest."

"I don't know, Usagi," Makoto said. "They're pretty adorable themselves."

Corey began backing away; Minako reached out quickly and grabbed hold of his shirt. "Stay." She turned to Usagi. "How so?"

"We have adorable nicknames for each other!" Usagi said quickly. "Mamo-chan and Usako!"

"Cutie and Mina!" Minako countered. "They...they work better in English, but still!"

Usagi glared back at her. "Our love is a grand romance, like something out of a fairy-tale!"

"So is ours!" Minako argued. "Maybe the knight and the princess isn't as high-profile as the prince and the princess, but our love was just as deep _and_ secretive! Sort of…"

"Uh, Minako?" Artemis called nervously.

"We've been together for five years!" Usagi wasn't backing down.

Ami tried her luck. "Why are you-"

"We were _already _together for five years!" Minako fired back. "And that's just the beginning!"

Corey raised his hand. "Uh, girls? It's not really a contest…"

Mamoru nodded quickly. "Yeah, can't we just agree that both of you are-"

Both blondes turned and snapped at them in unison. "This is _so_ not about you!" Minako froze immediately...and began laughing. "What are we doing, Usagi?"

Usagi blinked in confusion, but began to giggle as well. "I don't know. Why are we fighting about this?"

Minako shrugged. "I couldn't tell you. Since when are we in competition?"

"I'm not sure..." Usagi raised her hands and shrugged. "I don't think we are?"

Corey hung his head and sighed heavily. "Just open your present, Minako."

"Oh, my present! Right!" Minako forgot all about her sudden feud with Usagi and tore the wrapping paper off, revealing a small, flat box. "I knew it was jewellery!" She flipped it open, and froze as she saw a small, golden heart with the symbol of Venus engraved on it. _It can't be…there's no way this is the same pendant. Right? _She looked up in disbelief. "Oh, Corey…where did you find this?"

"The heart was easy enough to find, but I had to draw the symbol for the engraver." He shrugged. "It reminded me of the one you used to wear and…well, I couldn't resist."

Minako felt tears welling up in her eyes and fought them back. "You…are the most thoughtful, amazing boyfriend in the history of boyfriends!"

"That's a big call," Usagi muttered, clutching Mamoru's arm possessively.

Luna was having none of it. "Really, Usagi?"

"I kinda feel bad for yelling at you now," Minako admitted, leaning into Corey for a hug.

"Just now?" He smirked. "Damn…"

"Oh, quiet you." She tilted her head back and practically swooned as he kissed her again. "Help me put it on?" He nodded, and she turned, holding her hair aside as he fastened the chain around her neck. Minako glanced down to find the heart suspended perfectly just above the swell of her breasts. "I love it, Corey. Really. Thank you."

Rei sighed irritably. "Geez, way to make the rest of us look bad."

"Yeah," Makoto grumbled; her wink made it clear she was only teasing him.

Chibiusa leaned in for a closer look. "It's really beautiful, Minako. It suits you perfectly!"

Hotaru seemed to agree. "It's pretty."

Minako looked down again and giggled. "Maybe I should yell at you before every big event, if this is the kind of present I'll get in return?"

Corey stared back at her with a look of borderline horror. "Titus was right…you _are_ some kind of evil genius!"

"Finally," the cat muttered. "Someone else sees it…"

Minako turned and locked a withering glare on him. "Just what have you been saying about me, cat?!"

"Eep!"

* * *

The spirit watched Defence Minister Hayashida as he placed the phone down and leaned back in his chair. That would be the second offer of support he had received today, from two powerful members of the Diet; members that would ordinarily _never _have supported him. Humans were such simple creatures, really. It all came down to greed and ambition. _Everyone _had a price; something they valued or desired above all else. Minister Hayashida desired _power_, like so many men before him, and he would have it. For a time.

"That _creature_," Hayashida murmured. "It said it would arrange a demonstration." He pushed his chair back, and rose slowly to his feet. "Pledges of support from two of the most powerful men in the Diet would certainly qualify as such." The middle-aged politician paced back and forth, clearly thinking it over.

_Yes, _it thought. _That's it. I can feel your greed growing stronger…rising within you like a burning flame. Let it blind you…let it _tempt _you. Let it lead you right where I need you to be…until the moment of _my _ascension..._

Hayashida turned back towards his desk, and slowly raised his gaze to the ceiling; it was strange, how humans always assumed the 'spirit' they dealt with came from above. It pleased the spirit; the fool was already unwittingly admitting he was beneath it. "I still don't know who or what you are, spirit, but you've proven yourself with your little demonstration. If you are indeed willing to help me realise my ambitions, then I accept your offer…and your price."

The spirit would have smiled, if it had a mouth. _Soon_, it thought. _Soon, I will have a mouth and more. _It allowed itself to fade into existence, noticing the faint smile on Hayashida's face as he appeared.

_Certainly, Minister...I am at your service. Let us begin…_

* * *

Sailor Pluto stared into the Space-Time Door, searching for Haruka and Michiru. Their sudden disappearance following Ruin's defeat had her concerned; it was unlike them to just cut off all contact, at least from her and Hotaru. At long last she found them; they were seated at a small café in the countryside, drinking tea. It was odd; Michiru had only told her they were on a 'mission' that involved the safety of the princess, but they didn't seem particularly concerned right now. She allowed her transformation to fade, and stepped through the portal.

They seemed unsurprised by her presence; Michiru barely even glanced at her. "Setsuna. We were wondering how long it would take for you to come looking for us."

The Guardian of Time frowned as she looked back at her friend. Something felt off. "What are you two up to? Where have you been?"

"We had some thinking to do," Haruka replied. "About the future, and about the safety of the princess."

"Usagi?" Setsuna was taken aback by the coldness in her voice. _We were only apart a week. What has changed in such a short time? _"What does she have to do with this?"

"Everything." Michiru calmly raised her cup to take a sip. "The Guardian Senshi are like spoiled, immature children, Setsuna. They're nothing but part-time Senshi; always so focused on their _normal _lives while we stand guard, vigilant against approaching threats. Nothing has changed in a thousand years. _We _were stationed on the edges of the solar system while they went to balls, and danced and played and laughed." She shook her head slowly. "Well, now there is a great threat coming. One we can't hope to stand against."

"You mean the Revenant Knight," Setsuna said slowly.

Michiru nodded. "Action must be taken if we are to ensure the princess' survival."

Setsuna's voice was surprisingly calm, considering the unease swirling in her stomach. "What are you saying?" _They can't be plotting against us, _she thought. _Not again. Not after last time. They wouldn't. Surely they wouldn't._

"Don't let yourself get too close to them, Setsuna. The Guardian Senshi are different; they don't understand how the world really works. Not like us." Haruka stood, and Michiru followed suit. "We _will _do whatever is necessary to ensure Usagi's survival."

Michiru agreed as they wandered away. "Whatever it takes."

Setsuna remained still as they departed; her terrible feeling of imminent danger had returned.

* * *

Minako laughed out loud as Chibiusa performed perhaps the most ridiculous dance she'd ever seen. _And that's saying something_, she thought, _because I'm not exactly a great dancer myself!_ Usagi and Rei were beside her, performing some equally terrible moves. It was all in good fun, though, and made for a nice change after all the chaos and stress of a week ago. As she turned on the spot, she noticed Corey sitting alone in the corner and began dancing her way over to him.

The blonde nearly tripped over her own feet as she approached him, and saw him quickly mask a laugh. "Oh, please," she said, feigning irritation. "You're just totally jealous of my awesome moves!"

Corey laughed. "Yeah, that must be it."

She held out her hand and smiled. "Come dance with me."

He winced. "Oh...I don't dance."

Minako raised an eyebrow. "Hmmm…this sounds familiar. I think I'm supposed to offer to teach you, right? Well, you're out of luck, because I'm nowhere near the kind of dancer I used to be." She eased herself down into the chair beside him. "I'll keep you company instead. My back could use the rest."

Back on the impromptu dance floor, Mamoru was between Usagi and Chibiusa, trying to separate them as they argued about something. She noticed Corey shake his head and laugh. "What is it?"

"After spending a little time with Chibiusa, she's a _lot _more like Usagi than I first thought. I still can't believe she is who she is…but it makes me think. About the future." He shrugged. "I'm alive in a thousand years. That's something I never thought I'd say."

She leaned against his shoulder gently. "We'll still be together, right? That's all I care about."

Corey winked. "I hope so; I don't plan on making it easy for you to ditch me."

"I wouldn't want to," she said softly, reaching up slowly to toy with her new pendant. "Thank you again for this, by the way…it's beautiful." Her voice took on a mischievous tone. "You know…it'll be our one month anniversary in a few days. I bet a matching bracelet would look amazing…hint, hint."

He laughed quietly. "Hint all you want, Mina, but I'm afraid I'm broke."

She sat up. "What? You didn't…you spent all your money on this?"

"It was the perfect gift." Corey shrugged. "I knew I had to get it for you."

Minako sighed. "You're cute, you're sexy, you're funny, you're caring _and _you spent all your money on me? You are like the perfect boyfriend!" She hummed thoughtfully for a few seconds. "I know! I'll get _you _a present!"

"Oh, you don't have to do that."

"But I want to," she said quickly. "It has to be something meaningful, though. From the heart. But what?" She leapt to her feet. "I've got it! I'll _cook _for you!" She noticed him tense up, and leaned in close as she frowned. "What? What have you heard?"

He was clearly nervous. "Oh. Um...nothing?"

"Don't lie to me, Corey."

"It was nothing...it's silly. You'll laugh. I hope." He swallowed nervously. "So, maybe some of the girls - or all of them - warned me to…never eat anything you made."

Minako felt her lips drop into a pout. _On my birthday, too?_ "Geez…you add too much salt to rice porridge once or twice…or three times…and it follows you around forever!" She leaned in and grabbed hold of his arm; his bicep brushed against her chest, and she felt him tense up. _Why is he…oh. Oh! _An idea began forming in her head. _So, under all the shyness, Corey is a guy just like any other. That's the key! I'll use my feminine charms to convince him! _"It's okay, Corey, really. My mother just taught me how to make ramen, and I'm sure I could make it for you on my own again...probably."

_And now, apply pressure! Keep up the attack! _She pressed her breasts against his arm again and wriggled gently; he tensed up immediately. _Oh, yeah_, she thought smugly,_ he feels that. This is almost too easy. Why did it take me so long to think of this? _"Please, Corey? It will be just like I'm making you a present from the heart! Except it won't collapse, catch fire or explode when I give it you…probably."

His voice sounded strained. "You're using the word probably a lot, Mina."

She laughed nervously. "It only happened once, I swear!" _One last little squeeze, and…_

Corey sighed heavily, but turned a smile on her and nodded. "Sure, a home-cooked meal from my girlfriend sounds great."

"I'm glad you've seen reason," Minako cooed, sitting again and resting her head on his shoulder.

"Reason had nothing to do with it," he muttered.

She coughed quietly. "What was that, cutie?"

"Uh, nothing!"

Minako sighed contentedly as he wrapped his arm around her, and snuggled into his chest. "This was the best birthday _ever_."

* * *

AN: These updates are dragging on so much, I don't know what's happening. Real life just keeps getting in the way. This chapter was mostly just a little fluff early on, before things start to get ultra serious again, but there was a little foreshadowing in there too to set up future chapters. Hopefully there was some comedy in there for you guys; it's been a while since I tried writing a mostly fun chapter. Next chapter will be back to the serious stuff; Corey and Usagi are going to the moon. Thanks for reading; if you liked it, or even if you didn't, leave a review and let me know. They're always very much appreciated. Back with more soon!


	5. The Chamber of Prayer

With a flash of light, the Guardian Knight of Justice and Sailor Moon appeared on the surface of the moon. She immediately gripped her head as she nearly toppled backwards. "Oh, god! How do you do that so often? It's terrible!"

Justice shrugged as he surveyed their surroundings. "You get used to it." He was actually here; finally back on the moon after a thousand years. "I'm glad the teleport worked. It would have sucked to wind up floating in space."

Sailor Moon's eyes threatened to pop out of their sockets. "What? There was a chance of that happening?!"

He laughed quietly and shook his head. "I'm just teasing you, Usagi. I went on a solo test run first." The lie flowed almost effortlessly off his tongue. _There's no sense in panicking her…I'll never get her to leave again if I do._

She calmed noticeably. "Oh, good."

Justice remained silent for a moment as he took it all in. "It's quieter than I remember…almost like a tomb."

"It _is_ a tomb." Moon slowly brought her arms up to hug her own elbows. "A lot of people died here a thousand years ago. Not just us."

"That's true." He turned around slowly, trying to get his bearings. _If my teleport worked the way I hope it did, we should be standing just before the main doors of Moon Castle. _Sure enough, they were standing just before what was left of the main steps…but the palace itself was a crumbled ruin. He found it rather unsettling to see the once-proud structure in such a state. _I still remember my first visit, before I was officially initiated as a Guardian Knight. I thought Moon Castle would never fall. How could it? It had already stood for a thousand years, and I was sure it would stand for a thousand more. How wrong I was…_

"Hey." Moon nudged him gently. "You still with me?"

Justice broke free from his reverie and nodded, a little embarrassed. "Yeah. I'm just…remembering."

A small smile came to her lips. "I know the feeling. There's a lot of history here." She gestured into the palace itself. "I'm heading for the Chamber of Prayer. Where will you be?"

He tilted his head towards what was left of the east wing. "The Hall of the Divine Triumvirate. If I'm going to find anything it'll be there."

"Okay. Call me on the communicator if you need anything." Moon headed off at a slow pace, picking her way carefully through the rubble.

Justice watched her go, then headed off along what used to be the outer wall of the palace. His path took him through what used to be the Royal Gardens. Their once beautiful trees and flowers had long since turned to dust, leaving it a dull, grey wasteland. _Just like the rest of the moon_. For a moment he could almost see it as it had been; a bright, vibrant paradise. The Great Balcony would be above him…if it still stood. Justice allowed himself a small smile as he remembered his first kiss with Mina. _What a night that turned out to be; lots of firsts. Our first kiss, our first dance, and later…our first night together. _He found himself wearing a goofy grin and forced it off his face quickly, glad that nobody was around to see it.

He jumped over a ruined section of wall and landed 'inside' the Hall of the Divine Triumvirate. It barely qualified as a hall anymore, of course; only a rough outline of the walls survived, and the great statue of Selene had long since crumbled to dust. Still…this was where it had all begun, a thousand years prior; his journey on the path to becoming Guardian Knight of Justice. This was where he met Mina for the first time; Queen Serenity too. It was where Garrod and Marus had joined his side as fellow Guardian Knights. For a time, at least. _So many memories, _he thought. _But there's no time to dwell on them now._ _I came here for a reason._

Yes. A good reason indeed. The Revenant Knight was fast approaching Earth, and they had no idea how to stop him_. With any luck, there's something in the archives that will help. A technique or ability I can call on. Anything will do._

Justice navigated his way towards the archives from memories not quite his own; Corval remembered walking these halls, so he did too. There was next to nothing left of them, though. Low piles of bricks and stone represented walls long since collapsed, and the stars were clearly visible with no ceilings to obstruct his view. _Ami was right,_ he thought sadly. _Moon Castle is barely even a skeleton_. Even so, he was able to place certain rooms. He had just entered the barracks, which meant that mass of bricks to his left was his old room…

"_These will be your quarters from now on, Justice." Honour gestured inside. "We have collected your predecessor's things and moved them already. Do with the room as you will."_

"_My thanks, Sir…uh, brother." Corval managed to correct himself in time as he stepped inside. It was an odd feeling, knowing he would occupy this room until his own death. "It is far more spacious than I had expected."_

_Honour let out a deep, booming laugh. "You are a Guardian Knight, brother. We may not be nobility, but we are afforded a certain standard of living…"_

Justice smiled under his helmet. _I miss you, old man. You left us entirely too soon. _The next room along belonged to Garrod. The thought of his old friend caused him to hold a moment, and he reached out to brush a hand over the stone that marked the doorway. "Damn you, Garrod. Twice, I tried to reach you…and twice you forced my hand_._" He let out a heavy sigh. "Were we doomed to fight each from the very beginning without realising it?"

Marus' room was the final door, and yet again, he lingered. He hadn't yet regained his memories when he fought Terror; it seemed appropriate to say something. "Marus, you damned fool…you couldn't wait, could you? There was still time! If you had only waited a little longer, we could have saved the Moon Kingdom from Metalia, and _then _begun the work of restoring it. But your sister's death troubled you more than even I realised…it drove your impatience. Your zeal." He stepped back from the ruined doorway and shook his head. "Terror was born the night Ralvus Howe died. I see that now."

The time for reflection was over; he was nearly there. Only one 'corner' remained; this part of the palace seemed to have held up a little better. It made sense; it housed the archives, so it made sense that it would be built to take a beating. _Almost there. Almost…there. _His heart sank as he rounded the corner; the tower that housed the Guardian Knight archives was _gone_. Barely even a brick remained.

It looked like this part of Moon Castle had taken a direct hit from an intense blast. _Metalia herself, perhaps?_ The great doors still stood in place, framed by two large pieces of stone; the last remnant of the archive's defences. He slipped around then, through gaps in what was left of the walls, and into the vault itself. The Guardian Knight let out a short, sharp sigh. The shelves, the tomes, the scrolls…they were all gone. Reduced to dust beneath his boots. This was barely even recognisable as the archives anymore…

"_And these are the Archives of the Divine Triumvirate," Lucius said, rather proudly. "A collection of all the accumulated history and knowledge of the Order. Some of the tomes in here date back to the founding of the Divine Triumvirate nearly a millennia ago. The Guardian Knight of Faith traditionally acts as the keeper of lore for the Order. As such, I have made it my life's work to reorganise and catalogue every item in here."_

"_That's impressive," Corval admitted, glancing around at the overflowing shelves. He'd never been much for reading, himself; he preferred action. "Now, at the risk of sounding impatient…when do I get to start training?"_

"_There is a wealth of history and lore to be found in here, young man." Lucius folded his arms across his chest and frowned. "There may come a time when even _you _will need to make use of it. If that time should come, I hope my organisational skills serve you better than your patience serves you…" _

Justice shook his head. "There's nothing left. All that time spent cataloguing the archives was in vain, old friend." He let himself sink down slowly to one knee to retrieve one of the few remaining scraps of paper. It was likely a page from one of the archive's many tomes. _Let's _see, he thought, skimming through the handwritten words. _Part of a treatise on proper meditation techniques prior to battle. Not much use to me. I was never very good at achieving inner peace before a fight._

"What a waste," he muttered, looking around at the crumbled stonework one last time. "All of it. The great Moon Kingdom, crumbled to dust. All in the name of greed; it's the oldest story in the book." Justice relaxed his grip, letting the page flutter slowly back to the floor. It was time to find Usagi. There was nothing left for him here.

* * *

Sailor Moon picked her way through the rubble of her former home, stepping carefully over stray bricks and stones as she headed for the Chamber of Prayer. She had only seen it a few times in her previous life, and her memories of even those times were fuzzy. The one thing she remembered above all else was the great Crystal Tower that occupied the centre of the room; a glowing mass of crystal that radiated a strange power.

She knew as soon as Corey announced he was heading to the moon that she had to go with him. The nightmares had only gotten worse over the last few days. Every night, she was plagued with visions of her friends' deaths and her own failures. _I'm not ready to be a queen. I'm not. I can't do it. I can't be responsible for so many lives! I just can't…_

That was the reason she was here; she needed to speak with her mother. She needed answers about the past. How had the Moon Kingdom crept so close to the brink without her mother seeing it? How had she let things reach that point? _I need to know, _Moon thought. _I need to hear her reasoning. I need to know how she failed, so I can avoid her mistakes. I need her to tell me it's going to be alright._

The rubble around her became more familiar; she had reached her destination. _The Chamber of Prayer. This is it. _There wasn't much left of the chamber itself. The walls were practically gone, leaving just the four internal pillars around the Crystal Tower intact. An odd stain marred the pillar closest to her; it seemed to run all the way down to ground level. She leaned in close, hesitant to actually touch it. _Is this…blood? _Her fingertips paused, barely an inch away, before pulling back. It didn't really matter what it was; she was here for a reason, after all.

Tentatively, the blonde Senshi reached out and placed her hand on the Crystal Tower. "Mother…? Are you here?" She received no answer; the moon remained as quiet as ever. With a flash of light, she allowed her transformation to fade, and looked up at the stars. "Please…it's me. Serenity. I need your guidance. I need…" Usagi let her head fall forward to rest against the crystal. "I just need to hear your voice."

A small light flared inside the Crystal Tower, gradually growing brighter until it emerged to float before her; Usagi recognised the small figure as the physical representation of her mother that resided in the databanks of the Eternity Main System. _It's all that's left of her, after all this time, _she thought sadly. Surprisingly, the figure suddenly expanded, until a full-size manifestation of Queen Serenity stood before her.

"Oh, my sweet Serenity…" she whispered. "It's so wonderful to see you again. It's been nearly five years, has it not?"

Usagi was taken aback. "Mother…you _are _still here!"

"Always." The queen smiled and spread her arms wide. "I am here to watch over you. _All_ of you. But I fear manifesting in this manner uses quite a bit of power. I don't have long." Her smile faded slowly. "You said you were in need of guidance. What troubles you?"

Usagi found herself hesitating; she was suddenly uncertain where to begin. "I…I'm having doubts. About myself. I…" She closed her eyes. "I fear I'm not ready to rule, mother. There's so much responsibility! I can barely look after myself, let alone a world full of people." She paused. "I…I always thought that with you as the example to follow, maybe I _could _be queen. But, now…"

Her mother bowed her head. "So…you know." Her voice was almost fearful.

"Yes…I do," Usagi agreed. "I know that the Moon Kingdom wasn't quite the peaceful utopia we remember it as."

The queen looked up slowly. "You've found Sir Justice, then."

"Yes." Usagi considered her next words carefully. "You were my source of strength. With you as my guide, I thought I could do anything. No, I _knew _I could. I could become queen someday. I could rule with the same grace and even-handedness that you did." Her voice wavered. "But now, knowing that you…"

"Now, you realise that I was not quite the model of strength you thought I was." The queen sighed, and clasped her hands before her. "Oh, my dear, I wish it weren't so. I wish I could tell you that none of it happened…but it would be a lie. I failed our people, Serenity…I was so focused on saving the Moon Kingdom that I lost sight of what truly made it _worth _saving."

Usagi nodded mutely; Corey had said something similar.

"I wish I could assuage your fears, Serenity…but being queen is not easy. No matter what you do, no matter what choices you make…you cannot please everyone. Sometimes, there are no good choices. There comes a time when no matter what you decide…someone is hurt. As queen, the burden of making those choices is yours to bear. You must weigh up the consequences of every option…and make a decision."

"Is that really what happened, before the Fall?" Usagi whispered. "You made choices…and the kingdom fell apart because of it?"

"Yes." Serenity nodded. "I was forced to weigh the short term suffering of my people against the future survival of the Moon Kingdom itself. I thought I was making the right decision, then…siding with the nobility, appeasing them. Keeping them loyal. Keeping the Moon Kingdom together. But, after such a long time to think it over…I have decided that I was wrong." She shook her head sadly. "I placated the nobility with unjust laws, I granted them more and more power…and where did it get us? My people only suffered more, while two of my Guardian Knights rebelled against me openly." The queen smiled faintly. "A good friend tried to warn me I was wrong. He gave me sound advice, again and again…and I ignored it until it was too late."

"Justice…" Usagi said softly.

"Indeed." Serenity let her eyes lock on those of her daughter. "He was wise beyond his years; he saw through the lies and corruption surrounding the palace. He saw the way forward…but I fear even he grew weary over time. My recalcitrance eventually succeeded in driving him away; he gave up on me, and I think, the kingdom."

Usagi sighed. "But…how do I know which choice is right? How do I who to help? What if I make the wrong choice?"

"You have a kind and just heart, Serenity." The queen reached out and brushed her cheek with her fingertips. "I see the same love and compassion in your eyes as always. Listen to your heart; it will guide you to the truth." She stepped back slowly. "At the same time, you are _not _alone. You have your Sailor Senshi; each of them brings their own unique perspective. Draw on their strength to augment your own. Use their perspective to aid your own. Lastly…Sir Justice will be there for you; I know he will. I leant on him heavily for advice, towards the end, even when I knew I wasn't going to heed it. He will aid you, Serenity, just as he aided me. Remember, a wise queen listens to those around her." She smiled again. "You _will _be a great queen, in your own right, my dear. I know you will not make the same mistakes I did."

Usagi turned at the sound of crunching stone; Justice stepped over a small pile of rubble and froze upon seeing the queen's translucent visage. "Your Majesty…?"

"It is good to see you again, my old friend." The queen nodded slightly. "I trust you are well?"

The Guardian Knight seemed surprised, but he nodded in return. "I am."

"And your lady love? Have you found her again?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. It's early days for us in this time…but we're both happy." He hesitated. "Thank you…for giving me a second chance."

"You are most welcome." Serenity turned back to Usagi, spreading her arms apart again. "I fear I'm almost out of time; the Eternity Main System is not what it used to be. I can only appear to you for a short time before the power reserves are depleted."

Usagi nodded sadly. "I know."

"It was truly wonderful to see you again, Serenity. Be strong, and believe in yourself; you _will_ do me proud as queen. I know it."

"Thank you, mother." Usagi felt a single tear slide down her cheek. "Goodbye."

She slowly faded from view, leaving Usagi alone with Justice. She turned to the Guardian Knight and watched as he slowly approached one of the pillars; the stained one. He reached out and brushed his fingertips over the stone.

"What is it?" she asked curiously.

"This is…where I died." He dropped into a crouch before the pillar. "Right here on this spot. I was stabbed by Faith, and pushed up against this pillar. This is _my_ blood…"

Usagi knew he remembered his past, but he'd never shared the circumstances of his death with her; none of the Senshi had, really. It was a grim subject, and a rather odd sensation, remembering one's own death. She'd just assumed it was a painful memory for him, much as hers was.

"Faith died right here in front of me. And Honour…over there." He gestured to a spot on the stone floor, right beside her. "I guess Metalia obliterated the palace not long after."

She contemplated explaining Sailor Saturn's actions following the battle, but decided against it. It didn't seem all that important, and she didn't want to hurt his opinion of Hotaru. _It serves no purpose to explain what Sailor Saturn is truly capable of; Hotaru doesn't need anyone else fearing her._

Justice rose to his feet quickly. "It's not important, anyway. That all happened a long time ago." He turned to face her and folded his arms across his chest. "Did you find what you were looking for?"

Usagi nodded slowly. "I think so. How about you?"

His helmet barely moved as he shook his head. "Nothing but dust. The archives are gone; any knowledge they held about the Revenant Knight is lost to us."

"That's a shame," she said, sighing. "I guess we're back to square one, then?"

"It sure looks that way."

Usagi spared the Crystal Tower one last look, and shuddered. _This place really is like a tomb, now that I think about it. _She stepped closer and hugged her elbows again. "What do you say we head home? I've had just about enough of this place."

"I couldn't agree more." Justice extended his hand, and Usagi stepped in, allowing him to wrap his arm around her lower back. "Ready?"

She nodded. _As ready as I can be._ There was the slightest sensation of falling…and they disappeared in a flash of golden light.

* * *

"_Still _no email?" Minako sighed and shook her head sadly. "I've been applying for auditions all week, and nothing! No emails, no callbacks. Nothing!" She turned to the white cat sitting beside her on the bed. "This is tougher than I thought, Arty."

"Hang in there, Mina," he replied. "You've got the talent. The opportunities will come in time."

She nodded mutely, and skimmed over the emails in her sent box. _I applied for anything and everything; there's no convenient idol competition to enter this time, unfortunately. The lack of replies has convinced me of one thing above all others; I need experience! _She kicked her legs out and stretched as she stifled a yawn. _TV commercials, radio, anime theme songs…_anything_!__ I'll apply for it all. _"I have to get _something _back at some point, with the crazy amount of stuff I applied for!"

"I'm sure you'll be attending auditions in no time." Good old Artemis; she could always count on him to try and keep her spirits up.

"Thanks," she said, cracking a smile. "You're my bestest buddy, Arty."

"I'm glad you feel that way." He hesitated, clearly thinking about something. "Uh…as your bestest buddy, Mina, I feel like I should ask if you're still planning on cooking for Corey on your anniversary?"

She nodded quickly. "Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

He winced. "Are you sure it's such a good idea? I mean, I love you, Mina, but after the last time…"

"Mother taught me for a week straight!" she protested. "Even dad agreed my ramen was good by the fifth try. That means number six should be even better. It's science!"

"That's not really science…"

She shot an all-too-common glare at him. "You know what I mean!"

"Alright, alright…forget I said anything." He glanced at her shoulder, then her back. "Are you sure you'll be able to perform alright if you _do _get an audition? What about your back?"

"Oh, it's getting better every day," she said. "Mind over matter, Arty! If I don't let it bother me, it won't."

"And what about university?" he asked. "You did promise your mother this renewed quest for celebrity wasn't going to impact your studies..."

"God, you're more of a nag than mother ever was," Minako muttered. "I've got two assignments due; I'll finish one this afternoon, then I have all day tomorrow after class to finish the second. That means I can spend all day with my cutie on our one-month anniversary!" She felt herself blush as she glanced over at her wardrobe. _I hope he likes his present. _The blonde held back a giggle. _Who am I kidding? Of course he will!_

Her laptop beeped. "Ooh…mail!" She quickly clicked back into her inbox…and squealed excitedly. "I don't believe it! I have an audition! For…a _jingle_! I can totally sing a jingle!"

"That's great, Mina!" Artemis nuzzled her arm proudly. "What sort of jingle?"

"Um…it just says it's for a TV commercial. Consumer products." She shrugged. "It doesn't matter what it is." She leapt off the bed and twirled on the spot, thrusting her fingers forward in her timeless V-sign. "I, Minako Aino, _will_ ace this audition, and win this commercial spot!"

Artemis sounded suddenly tired. "Seriously…who are you posing for?"

Her pillow hit him in the face; right on target. "Quiet, you!"

* * *

Setsuna looked down at the eleven-year-old girl before her; this was going to be difficult. "I'm not quite sure how to explain this, Hotaru. It will be…a shock, I think."

"What is it?"

"I found Haruka and Michiru," she admitted.

"You did?" Hotaru was predictably happy. "Where are they? Where have they been? Are they coming home soon?"

"It's not that simple." Setsuna cleared her throat. "They're not coming back. Not right now, anyway. They…that is…" She sighed, and decided to be honest. "I have no proof of this, but...I fear they're plotting against the Guardian Senshi. Perhaps all of us."

Hotaru's eyes widened. "What? No…they wouldn't do that!" She took a step back as her left eyebrow twitched, and her hand raised to her forehead. "I…I feel strange, Setsuna."

"Hotaru?" The older woman took a step forward, but stopped and shielded her eyes as a sudden, intense light erupted around Hotaru. As it faded, her own eyes went wide; Sailor Saturn stood in Hotaru's place…but something was different. _Saturn _was different; she could feel it. The Guardian of Time realised that this was Sailor Saturn herself; the original. The one who had turned the Moon Kingdom to dust after the Fall. _By Selene, how is she here again?_

"Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune have overstepped their station time and time again." Saturn's voice was cold, the polar opposite of Hotaru's normal tone. "They may work to protect the Moon Princess…but their methods are questionable at best, and outright treason at worst. They struck you and Hotaru down in the battle against Sailor Galaxia for no gain, with no hesitation or regret." Her eyes narrowed. "I will _not _tolerate another betrayal, Sailor Pluto…and neither should you. If they should turn on us, they _must_ die!"

Saturn suddenly toppled backwards, her uniform fading away in a ripple of ribbons to reveal Hotaru underneath. Setsuna rushed forward and managed to catch her before she hit the floor; she laid the girl down carefully, and reached up to stroke her hair gently. "Hotaru? Hotaru, can you hear me?"

She opened her eyes slowly. "Set…Setsuna? What happened?"

"You…passed out," Setsuna lied. "It's alright. I'm here."

"No…" Hotaru's confusion seemed to be clearing. "No, I didn't pass out. _She _came." A trace of fear entered her voice. "She hasn't come out on her own for a long time, Setsuna."

"I know, Hotaru." She reached out to rub the girl's shoulder reassuringly. "It's alright. She's gone now."

Hotaru's face sank into a neutral expression; a blank mask that betrayed no emotion at all. "I can hear her voice. She says Haruka and Michiru may be the enemy. She says they cannot be allowed to threaten the princess." A dark gleam shone in her eye. "She says…Usagi must be protected at all costs. Even from them."

* * *

AN: I managed to post a relatively quick update for you guys this time. I had a lot of this summarised before I finished chapter four, so I was able to polish it off without too much trouble. Usagi gets a bit of a confidence boost from her mother, and a reminder that despite what she thinks, she's not alone and never will be. I decided to bring back 'original Saturn' in response to the potential threat from her fellow Outer Senshi; Hotaru's too sweet to really contemplate hurting them, but the Sailor Saturn who dropped the Silence Glaive and destroyed the Moon Kingdom? She's kinda pissed about what happened in Stars, as well she should be - I don't think I'm done with her yet :D

Many thanks to everyone who's reviewed, followed or favourited so far - I really appreciate the feedback! More to come soon.


	6. The Board Is Set

"Move, Chibiusa, I'll be late for class!" Usagi shoved her out of the way as she rushed down the stairs.

"Usagi! Be more considerate to your cousin!" her mother cried.

"Sorry, mama," she muttered. It had only been a few days, but she was already remembering how much of a pain the girl could be. _I love her to death, but she seems to do everything in her power to annoy me! _

"Don't apologise to me. You apologise to Chibiua!"

Usagi rolled her eyes but turned to Chibiusa. "I'm sorry. Sorry you were in my way!"

"That's not very heartfelt!" Chibiusa argued; she was already smirking. "You're the one who dawdled!"

"It's all you get!" Usagi headed into the kitchen and grabbed a piece of toast. "And I'd like to point out that I _didn't _dawdle. _You_ took forever in the shower!"

The younger girl shrugged. "I like to start the day clean and refreshed."

"Well, some of us have things to do! Like get to university!"

"You're such a grouch in the mornings, honey," her father said, chuckling. "Just relax and enjoy your breakfast."

"Good advice, dear," Ikuko agreed, leaning into kiss his cheek. "You're still so immature sometimes, Usagi!"

Usagi almost choked on her toast. "But-"

"Why can't you be more like Shingo?"

"What?" She glanced at her younger brother; he was calmly eating his breakfast, apparently doing his best to ignore them all. "But-"

Kenji checked his watch. "Uh-oh. Time for work." He stood, and bopped her on the nose gently. "You'll be late if you don't get a move on, Usagi. Education first, remember?"

She was dumbfounded. "But you just said-"

"You're not too old for me to lock you out of the house," Ikuko agreed. "Now get a move on!"

"But you _just_ told me to slow down and enjoy my breakfast!" she protested, reaching out to snatch another piece of toast from Chibiusa's plate.

Chibiusa wasn't happy about it. "Hey!"

"Out!" Ikuko snapped, shoving the blonde towards the door.

Usagi barely had time to grab her bag and shoes before she found herself outside.

"Have a good day," Ikuko called cheerfully, as the door slammed shut behind her.

She sighed heavily. "I don't know what just happened…"

* * *

_A few hours later..._

Minako laughed into her phone. "Stop it, you! This isn't helping me complete my assignment, you know."

"Hey," Corey protested. "You called me, remember?"

"Oh, yeah..." Minako glanced over at Artemis; he rolled his eyes, but he was smiling at the same time. "Anyway, my audition is mid-afternoon tomorrow, but I should be back in plenty of time to cook our big, romantic dinner." She smiled faintly. "I'm really looking forward to it! You are too, right?"

There was just a moment's hesitation on Corey's part. "You bet. I can't wait."

She giggled. _He still sounds scared...but I'll show him. I _can _cook! Probably. _"I'll make it super good for you, Corey, I promise!"

"I'm sure you will," he said dryly. "Alright, I'll let you get back to work. Usagi's just finished class, so we're gonna grab a quick bite before we get back in there for the afternoon."

"Okay, cutie. Tell her I said hi."

"I will. I love you, Minako."

She smiled dreamily. "I love you too." She ended the call and stretched carefully; she was trying a day without her back brace, and so far, so good. The blonde brushed a loose strand of hair from her eyes and then cracked her knuckles as she turned back to her laptop. "Okay! Back to work. No more slacking off until I'm done."

"I'm impressed, Mina." Artemis peered around her to study the screen. "You've been working hard on this all day. I know your study habits have improved over the years, but this is some serious dedication you're showing."

"It's all about motivation and reward, Arty." She began typing again, picking up right where she had left off. "My reward is getting to go to my audition...and spending tomorrow night with Corey!"

When Artemis didn't reply, she turned to find him frowning at her suspiciously. "You mean _evening_. Right?"

"Oh, of course! What'd I say?" Minako almost slapped her own forehead in frustration. _W__ow...that was stupid even for you, Minako! _ "Now shush, you! I'm working!"

"Minako? Evening…_right_?"

She felt a blush coming on. _Damn it!_

* * *

_At least it isn't raining anymore_. Makoto adjusted her grip on the bag in her hands as she headed for home. The drab sky threatened to open up again at any time, and while she didn't mind the rain, it wouldn't do to catch a cold now. Not with everything that was happening. She glanced over at the spot she'd first met Wrath, and hesitated just a moment. _That's progress. I thought of him as Wrath, not Garrett. It's happening slowly, but I'm getting there_.

After a week, her heart was beginning to mend. Lots of soul searching had led to an important discovery; she hadn't _really _loved him. She thought she did, but there had never really been that deep connection that Usagi and Mamoru had. _Or Minako and Corey, now._ She'd wanted to save him; a hope that was doomed to fail. After all, Corey had tried to save him from himself twice, now...if he wouldn't turn back for his best friend, then what hope did she have?

A sudden scream pulled her attention back to the real world; it had come from further down the street. _There's a crowd, _she thought. _Come to think of it...there was some sort of public performance today, wasn't there? A children's choir? _Without a second thought, she broke into a run and headed towards the source of the commotion.

"Monster!" someone cried, rushing past her.

"Get out of my way!" another woman screamed.

Makoto fought her way through the throng of panicked people and caught sight of the 'monster'. _Jester costume, belled hat, face sceptre, and lots of laughing. That's the guy Usagi and the others fought at the mall, alright. _He was performing a strange little dance, surrounded by unconscious children. _It was children last time, too!_

She glanced down at the shopping bags in her hands and groaned. _Of all the times for him to show up...damn it! _A nearby alley provided a convenient shelter from prying eyes, and she stashed her groceries against the wall before activating the emergency alert on her communicator. She flipped it open for good measure. "Trouble downtown everyone, near my place! That weird jester's back, and he's draining energy from children again!"

She looked around quickly to make sure she was clear and thrust her transformation wand into the air. "Jupiter Crystal Power, Make Up!"

Sailor Jupiter rushed out of the alleyway and approached the blue-skinned man. "Hey!"

The jester paused mid-dance and turned to face her slowly. "_Another _Sailor Senshi? This world is practically infested!"

"Shamelessly attacking children is the act of a coward!" Jupiter raised her finger to point at him. "For love and courage, I am Sailor Jupiter! In the name of my guardian planet, I will punish you!"

"Again with the speeches." He sighed tiredly. "You all seem to have some sort of unhealthy attachment to them." His head dipped as he bowed formally. "As we haven't met, however...I'll indulge you. I am Avan the Trickster, and in the name of my Tragic Carnival..." He smiled coldly. "I'll _murder _you."

"Try it!" Jupiter snapped. "Sparkling Wide Pressure!" She hurled the crackling disc of lightning forward; the jester bent backwards underneath it, like he was performing a limbo. Jupiter dashed forward and aimed a punch at his face but he disappeared into thin air. A moment later, she found herself propelled forward onto her hands and knees as something hit her hard in the rear. Furious, she spun around to see him laughing manically as he wiggled his foot.

"I really made you the _butt _of my joke there, didn't I?!" It was the funniest thing he'd ever heard, going by his reaction.

"Stand and face me!" Jupiter was mad. _After all the pain I went through last week, I've been looking forward to a good fight. Now, this idiot won't even give me that! _She raised her fists and began closing in on him again.

He pulled a small sack from his belt and grinned widely, showing his crooked, yellow teeth. "I see, I see! You're the _tough_ one! Well, I have just the opponent for you, my dear!" He upended the sack and shook it hard; an impossibly large mass of limbs tumbled from it and onto the ground before him.

Jupiter's eyes went wide. "There's no way that thing fit in there! It doesn't make any sense!"

The Trickster erupted in another fit of laughter. "Nothing I do makes any sense! That's just how I like it, Senshi!"

The tangled mass of arms and legs unfurled, and another blue-skinned creature rose slowly to its feet. It was brawny and thick, with massive biceps and a shaved head. It wore a black masquerade mask, but didn't seem to have any eyes underneath it. _That's how they described the other creature he summoned_, Jupiter thought. _The b__lue skin, the mask...it's the same rough design. _It hefted two large dumbbells and, to her shock, began performing bicep curls.

"What the...what's he doing?" she demanded angrily. "We're in the middle of a fight here!"

"Oh, Hraldor just loves a good workout!" Avan leapt up onto the creature's shoulder and balanced there as he cackled. "He's going to squash you into paste, Sailor Jupiter!" He dropped back to the ground and performed a slow, lazy twirl around his minion. "Go, Hraldor! Crush her!"

"Hraldor!" The creature lunged forward and hurled one of its dumbbells at her face. Jupiter ducked under it, and responded with a kick to its jaw. It staggered, and she used its continued forward momentum to pull it up and over her own body with a hip toss; Hraldor slammed into the ground hard enough to dent the concrete.

"Oh, my...that's quite impressive!" Avan called. He held up his sceptre; the little face was sticking its tongue out at her.

"Don't mock me, you bastard!" she cried angrily. "Jupiter Oak Evolution!" She unleashed her strongest attack, peppering him with green shards.

He reached up and began picking them out of his skin rather calmly. "I'm afraid you'll have to do _much _better than that, my dear."

_The others were right, _she thought warily. _This Avan is much stronger than he appears. _"I'm only just getting start-" There was a sudden 'thwack' accompanied by a pounding pain in the back of her head; her vision blurred as the ground rushed up to meet her. She heard a distant 'Hraldor' and glanced around woozily to realise the strongman had hit her from behind with one of its dumbbells. _Stupid, Makoto! You let the jester distract you! _The brunette rolled onto her back to find it standing over her, holding another dumbbell.

Avan's face leaned into her field of vision and flickered, becoming a decayed skull for a split-second; there was no humour in his voice this time. "You lose, girlie..."

"Hraldor!" The strongman raised its makeshift weapon high...and cried out in pain as a flaming arrow lodged in its chest. The bolt exploded almost immediately, wrapping it in a cocoon of fire. Another arrow sped towards Avan, but he knocked it out of the air with his sceptre and leapt back to a safe distance. As for Hraldor, he was completely consumed by the inferno after only a few seconds.

Sailor Mars dropped to the ground beside her and extended her hand. "Come on, Jupiter! On your feet!"

The brunette accepted her friend's hand, and struggled to her feet. The world was still spinning around her. "Thanks for the save, Mars. I guess I got distracted."

"I don't blame you," Mars said, glaring at the Trickster. "I can barely stand to look at him myself!"

"Oh, ho-ho!" Avan burst out laughing again. "Another Sailor Senshi...and don't you have quite the sharp tongue?" His eyes roamed over them, and a cold smile formed on his lips. "Tell me, where's the cute little pink-haired one? I like her. She's my favourite!"

"Shut up!" Mars said, folding her arms across her chest. "You're dealing with us, clown."

"Clown?!" The face on his sceptre glared at them angrily. "I'm a _Trickster_, girl, not some common clown! How about a little respect?" He glanced at the pile of ash that _was _his minion and sighed. "Still...first Rumbo, and now Hraldor. It's so hard to find good help these days!"

There was a sudden flash of light beside them, and Justice appeared, holding onto Sailor Moon. She immediately gripped her head and stumbled forward; he reached out to steady her as she shook her head and groaned.

"I told you that was a bad idea," he muttered.

"We're here now, aren't we?" The blonde Senshi raised her Tiare and took a deep breath. "Picking on children again? These are the actions of a cow-"

"She already did that part." Avan gestured to Jupiter. "The part about punishing me, too."

"What?" Moon turned to Jupiter and pouted. "But I _love _the 'I'll punish you' part!"

Mars reached up and rubbed her temples wearily. "A little focus please, Sailor Moon!"

"Oh, right!" She turned back to the jester and resumed her speech. "Nevertheless, I-"

"No more speeches!" The Trickster thrust a small pouch forward, and a mass of streamers flew out towards her. They shifted into snakes as they sailed through the air, provoking a shriek of fright from Moon. Justice raised his hand calmly and poured a torrent of flame over them, burning the flying reptiles to ash in an instant.

Avan wasn't happy. "You know something, Mister Shiny?" He stamped his feet and shook his sceptre. "I'm getting real tired of you spoiling my fun! Don't you have a sense of humour?!"

"Sure I do," Justice said flatly. "You're just one big joke to me."

"Oh, very droll, metalhead." Avan began a slow clap. "Very droll, indeed." He glanced around at the assembled Senshi and sighed deeply. "It appears I've been thwarted once again. Enjoy your victory, Sailor Senshi. I'll be seeing you again soon!" He flipped up into the air and faded from view.

"That's it?" Jupiter was unimpressed. "That's our enemy? Only four of us show up and he _still _runs away?"

Moon nodded thoughtfully. "Now that you mention it, he didn't really stick around very long at the mall, either." She glanced around the street. "Where is everyone else, anyway?"

Mars shrugged. "Mercury must still be on her way."

"And from my experience," Justice said, "the Outer Senshi only show up when they feel like it. Usually when they can make the big save."

"That just leaves Venus." Jupiter rubbed at the back of her head and stared down at her glove; there was no blood, at least. "And she's still out of action on Mercury's orders."

Moon crouched beside what was left of Hraldor and poked at it gingerly. "Right. What's the story here?"

Mars turned to Jupiter. "There was a twisted old-school strongman on the loose when I arrived; he was attacking Jupiter while the jester stood back and watched."

"The same tactic as last time," Justice murmured, looking over at Moon.

She nodded silently as she rose to her feet.

"There's something else," Jupiter said. "I don't mean to understate Flame Sniper's power, Mars, but that Hraldor thing...it went down really easily."

Mars flashed her a small smile. "No offense taken. It _was _really weak." She folded her arms across her chest. "So this Trickster turns up, steals energy from the children, waits for us to show up, summons a flashy but weak minion...and just _leaves _as soon as it's defeated?"

"It's odd," Jupiter agreed. "He was _proud _of the fact that he doesn't make sense, though. Maybe that's it? He's just trying to keep us guessing?"

Justice looked down at the ash pile formerly known as Hraldor. "Rumbo had a fairly strong attack, but it went down really easily too. Sounds like we have a pattern."

"But if this..._Avan _is so strong," Mars said, "why are his underlings such pushovers?"

"Something's definitely wrong here," Moon agreed. "But what?"

* * *

Ami held her open communicator up to her face. "So, it's already over?"

"Yep. He's gone." Usagi said quickly. "Don't worry about it, Ami. It's unrealistic to expect you to get all the way across the city in five minutes. None of us were expecting such a short fight."

"Should we meet up to discuss it, at least?" Ami asked.

"Probably." Usagi's eyes shifted around; obviously the others were still there. "Tonight, at the shrine?"

Ami nodded. "I'll be there. See you then." She carefully closed the watch-like device and sighed. It looked like it was back to Ryo's place for her; they were going to finish their conversation sooner than she had thought...

"_We need to talk," she said softly, reluctantly stepping back from his embrace._

"_I know." His eyes remained locked on her own. Ryo always did have a way of reading her. Even without his abilities._

"_I have an...opportunity." Ami found herself fidgeting again; this was becoming annoying. "I've always dreamed of studying abroad. There's a pre-medical program in Germany, considered one of the best in the world...and I've been offered a position in next year's class."_

_Ryo nodded mutely; unfortunately for Ami, she found him much harder to read._

"_I've waited years for this chance, Ryo. I applied last year, but when I didn't make it in I thought it was all over. That I'd missed my chance. I let myself focus on my life here. On you..."_

_He held up his hand. "I know."_

_Ami felt a small smile forming on her lips, despite the situation. "Of course you do. You always know, and I'm sorry it took me so long to tell you. I just-"_

"_You weren't sure how," he replied, stepping forward to embrace her gently again. "I know that, too."_

_She let herself relax into his warmth, leaning into him contentedly. It was all going to be alright, after all._

"_Our time together has been great, Ami...and I wouldn't trade it for all the world. I'll miss you."_

_Ami frowned suddenly and pullled away from him. "What?"_

"_I..." Ryo blushed. "I...I thought...aren't you breaking up with me?"_

_She couldn't help what happened next. It started as a giggle, but erupted into full-blown laughter in a heartbeat as her nervous tension melted away. Ryo had finally gotten something wrong; Ami found that hilarious. "No, silly! I'm not breaking up with you!" She got herself back under control, and took hold of his hands. "I couldn't do that. I care about you far too much."_

"_I...I'm glad," he admitted. His cheeks were still bright red; Ami finally understood what Minako meant that time she told her embarrassed Corey was 'adorable'._

"_I know long-distance is usually a bad idea, but..." Ami took a deep breath. "I want to try. I don't want to lose you, Ryo." She smiled up at him. "We can do that, right?"_

_He nodded slowly. "We'll make it work."_

"_That's-" Her communicator began beeping urgently, and she sighed. "Always at the worst time. I'm so sorry, Ryo, but-"_

"_Go, Ami. You're needed." He smiled faintly. "I'll still be here when you're done. Promise."_

_She gave him a quick kiss, and hurried for the door. "You're amazing! I'll be back soon!" As she slipped through the door, she opened her communicator. An emergency alert, from Mako..._

Ami came to a halt outside Ryo's place. Now, they had to work out just how this long-distance thing was actually going to work_. Still_, she thought, _I know in my heart I'm making the right decision. I won't sacrifice Ryo _or_ my dream._

* * *

"The Prime Minister has already been briefed. There'll be an escort as soon as we land." The spirit looked on disinterestedly as the two aides scuttled off to their next task. It remained invisible, not just for stealth but out of necessity; the next phase of its plan would require a great deal of energy to carry out, and manifesting physically was a strain on its limited resources.

Avan had done well; despite the Sailor Senshi's interference, he'd managed to gather a plentiful supply of energy for it to draw upon. That was fortunate; its arrival on Earth had been turbulent. Not like before. In the beginning, it was barely even strong enough to manifest at all, but with slow and careful effort, it gathered energy. Enough to take shape, enough to speak to the living...and finally, enough to summon Avan the Trickster. Now, _he_ did the gathering, leaving the spirit free to focus on more important matters. Matters such as this. It drifted through the cockpit door and came to a halt behind the pilots.

"That tailwind should help…we're actually on track to arrive earlier than ETA."

The spirit watched and waited; any minute now, one of the stewards would bring them their coffee. Then, it would be time to begin. Sure enough, less than three minutes later there was a knock on the cockpit door and the co-pilot rose from his seat to answer it. The spirit made note of their security procedures; the knowledge might prove useful in the future. As soon as the co-pilot was seated again, the spirit made its move. It drifted closer, still invisible, and extended its 'hands' to touch their shoulders.

_Soul Tear! _There was a brief flash of light as their life essences were forcefully ripped from their bodies, and they slumped forward; dead for all intents and purposes. Given enough time, their bodies would reanimate as Empty…but the aircraft would crash long before that could happen.

It drifted back through the cabin, passing through solid object and person alike. There he was; Japan's Prime Minister himself. It held no ill-will towards the man...but he was an obstacle and had to be removed. More importantly, he had to be removed cleanly, with no hint of foul-play. That was vital for the plan to move forward.

The time had come; it would take all the strength the spirit had, but the pieces were in place, and the board was set. A sense of satisfaction filled its body as it shifted, allowing itself to drift through the aircraft's fuselage and out onto the wing. It was the middle of the day back in Japan; that was good. It would ensure maximum impact on the news channels.

It gathered its strength, and began focusing its energy. The power grew within, stronger and stronger, until it unleashed a blast of lightning directly into the plane's wing. It coursed through the metal, crackling with power as it spread out like a spider-web, down through the struts and into the two engines. The outermost turbine was the first to go, spinning faster and faster until something shook loose inside; it exploded, showering the fuselage with debris. The second engine blew apart a moment later, and the spirit watched with satisfaction as yet more shrapnel pierced the aircraft's skin. Blood sprayed onto one of the windows as a passenger was hit.

The entire wing itself sheared off a moment later, and the aircraft fell into a sharp, spinning dive almost immediately. After several more seconds, the intense pressure caused the cabin itself to break apart, spewing its human cargo out into the night sky. It watched them fall alongside the broken remains of their aircraft, until passenger and plane alike crashed into the ocean. It could _feel _the loss of life; there were no survivors.

_Let the final act commence..._

* * *

AN: Another chapter down! I've had a run of inspiration lately - hopefully it keeps going for a while yet. Minako's in a bit of trouble with Artemis, and Usagi is finding life with Chibiusa as trying as ever! Those two just can't get along - they're too similar, if you ask me ;-) The Senshi are no closer to solving the riddle that is Avan the Trickster, and the spirit has entered the next phase of its plan. Things are starting to build now - I just hope it's as fun to read as it is to write.

Thanks for all the feedback, everyone. More to come soon!


	7. Dinner Date

AN: Just a quick heads-up to begin with; there's some fairly suggestive content towards the end. I decided to try my hand at writing a little romance and, while there's nothing too overt in here, I feel I've probably made good use of the T rating. I just hope it's not lousy – I was pretty far out of my comfort zone on this one, but part of the reason I started writing this story was to challenge myself as a writer and this chapter definitely succeeded in that!

* * *

"...confirmed that the Prime Minister's plane crashed into the ocean at approximately three PM yesterday. While official government sources have remained tight-lipped as to the suspected cause of the crash, they _have_ confirmed that the Prime Minister and all other passengers on board are presumed dead. Speculation continues over the..."

Titus spared a quick glance at the second screen; somewhere in the back of his mind, he was rather unsettled by the Prime Minister's sudden death. It was only a hunch, but something didn't feel right. Still, it was low on his list of priorities behind uncovering the true identity of the creature claiming to be Avan the Trickster. To that end, he was browsing through old tomes with Luna, Artemis and Usagi. Digital copies of them, at any rate…the Eternity Main System may be a shell of its former self, but it still had a great deal of knowledge stored in its database.

"It's like an eBook," Usagi said, staring up at the main screen as pages flicked by quickly; Titus had the computer performing a search for the phrase 'Avan the Trickster'. So far, there had been three matches, but they were just vague mentions in passing.

Titus nodded slowly. "That's an apt comparison, Usagi."

Luna and Artemis sat beside him on the console; the three guardian cats had decided to begin their own investigation into the Trickster. By Luna's own admission, none of the Senshi were particularly well-suited to research - except for Ami - and it felt good to be doing something productive for a change. _I'm used to action,_ Titus thought. _It's been far too long since I've been out in the field. But then, I'm older than I used to be._

"There!" Luna pointed at the screen.

"That's him!" Usagi cried. "Blue skin, moustache, jester costume-"

"Motley," Titus said idly.

"Uh…_motley_," she repeated. "The hat-"

"Cap and bells."

"Uh-huh." Usagi shot him a dirty look and folded her arms across her chest. "That's definitely who we saw at the mall, and again yesterday."

"Avan the Trickster." Luna leaned forward to read the print on the screen. "Equal parts merriment and malice, this enigmatic jester was purported to lead his 'Tragic Carnival' from town to town, abducting children and forcing them to join band of misfits. This particular character makes his appearance in many varied tales throughout history, the earliest of which dates back to the reign of Serenity the First…she who became Selene."

"I knew the tales were old," Artemis said, "but not _that _old!"

"So he really is a fairy-tale character?" Usagi was clearly worried. "How is he walking around Tokyo and fighting us, then?"

Titus scrolled to the next page; he heard Usagi gasp as another image appeared. "This is an artist's depiction of the Trickster's Tragic Carnival."

"That's the creature Justice and Chibi Moon fought!" She pointed out a tall, lanky creature wearing a black bodysuit. "And there, in the background…that looks like the strongman Jupiter and Mars described!"

Titus frowned; the fur on the back of his neck was standing up. Something definitely wasn't right here. "It seems that characters from this very book are coming to life…and attacking Tokyo."

"But this book was published more than a thousand years ago!" Artemis glanced up at the screen himself. "How could anyone have access to it?"

"_We _have access to it," Titus countered.

Usagi scratched at her head. "Could someone else gain access to the Eternity Main System?"

"Now _that _is an excellent question, Usagi." Titus nodded approvingly. "That is the only place anyone could still find a copy of this book; the same place we found it."

"But who?" Luna asked. "Nobody on Earth even knows of the Moon Kingdom's existence!"

"That's the question we need to answer," Artemis said darkly.

"Indeed." Titus nodded. "If we can answer that, we'll know who our true enemy is." He stretched, and glanced over at the second screen again.

The broadcaster was still talking. "...Deputy Prime Minister has said that if the Prime Minister is confirmed dead, as feared, a ballot will be taken in the Diet to determine his successor; he will _not _seek nomination. Unofficial sources place current Defence Minister Noboru Hayashida in the running; the long-serving politician is considered an outsider by some, but a sudden resurgence in popularity among the Diet has..."

"This is strange," he murmured. "First, a fairy-tale character from the Moon Kingdom appears in Tokyo…and now, suddenly, the Prime Minister's plane falls out of the sky?"

Artemis' shook his head. "I don't see the link, Titus."

"Nor do I…_and _I still don't trust you completely, for that matter." Luna met his gaze unapologetically.

"Luna!" Usagi said loudly.

_Yes, I imagine you're not the only one_, Titus thought. He met her gaze unflinchingly, and nodded slowly. "That's very wise of you, Luna. Never trust a spy, I always say."

"With that said, however…I trust your instincts." She glanced up at the screen one more time. "If you're suspicious, then there's likely good reason to be."

* * *

Minako stared up at the building before her; the marketing agency was on the eighth floor. All she had to do was go up there, ace her audition, and get the job. _Simple, right? _She shook her head slowly. _Nope. It's my first audition in years…and there's no convenient idol competition to enter this time if I mess it up. _

"You're starting to over-think it."

She glanced down at Artemis and smiled wanly. "Probably. It's what I normally do."

"Just relax and be yourself," he said. "You have plenty of talent, Mina, just get in there and nail it!"

Minako laughed quietly. "It's that easy, huh?"

"It is and you know it." He winked at her. "You never used to struggle with self-doubt! Where's that boisterous Minako confidence?"

She nodded. "You're right! I, Minako Aino, _will_ succeed! I _will_ make my idol dream a reality, one jingle at a time if I have to!" She found herself posing; somehow she'd twirled around again to face the building without even noticing, and had her fingers extended in a V before her. A man in a suit stared at her strangely as he walked past, and she felt her cheeks beginning to burn in embarrassment. "Uh…that is to say, I'm going in. Wish me luck, Arty!"

Within minutes she was sitting outside a small office with the rest of the candidates. She looked around quickly at the other girls seated in the hallway. _They're all pretty…which means they're probably idol hopefuls, just like me. _She clenched her fist slowly. _That makes them the enemy! They're trying to steal my chance at success! _One of the girls glanced at her and smiled politely; Minako ignored her. _Oh, don't smile at me, you bitch! You're trying to destroy my idol dream! I'm gonna crush you! _Logic won out a moment later. _Or I'm just being my usual crazy self and she's actually being polite. Which makes _me _the bitch. Oops…_

A woman in her mid-twenties with a clipboard in hand poked her head through the door. "Minako Aino?"

She leapt to her feet anxiously. "Here!"

The woman - perhaps an assistant – laughed quietly. "Nice enthusiasm. Come on in."

The blonde was led into the office and came to a stop before three people in chairs; two men and a woman. All wore suits. _Marketing people, _she thought. _I guess they're in charge of hiring._

"Good afternoon," the first man said. "Could you confirm your name for us, please?"

"Good afternoon," she replied quickly. "I'm Minako Aino."

"Alright…" The second glanced down and wrote something on his notepad. "Thanks for coming in, Miss Aino."

The assistant handed her a sheet of paper; Minako glanced down to see music and lyrics. _Yep. Sight reading it is._

"You're a new face," the first man observed. "Have you been to many auditions?"

"Uh, no," she admitted. "I did enter an idol competition a few years ago, for Ginga TV, but-"

"_That's _where I recognise you from!" the woman said quickly. "As I recall, you did quite well and passed through to the final round. What happened?"

"I, um…" Minako felt another blush coming on. "Something came up suddenly. I had to…postpone my plans."

"I understand," she replied, making a note of her own. "These things happen. Best of luck today, anyway.

"Thank you." She quickly finished reading through the lyrics and hesitated. _Really? _"This is a…tampon commercial?"

"That's right." The first 'suit' nodded. "We're working on the launch of a new line of tampons aimed at the eighteen-to-twenty-five market, and we think a catchy jingle is exactly what we need."

"I'll be singing about _tampons_…?" Minako was trying to get her head around it. _I knew I'd have to start from the bottom…but this? How do you even make tampons sound good? They're for a very specific purpose…and not a pleasant one at that! Oh, god! The things I do for fame._

"Is there a problem?" the second man asked warily.

"Uh, no, no!" She waved her hands in front of herself frantically and laughed. "Not at all! No problem here! I…I _love _tampons!" Minako held back a wince. _I _love _tampons? What the hell is wrong with me? I'm babbling! I'm babbling like an idiot...and they're looking at me funny! _She fought the urge to hyperventilate and instead took a deep breath. _Calm, Minako! Be calm! _The blonde cleared her throat and flashed what she hoped was a dazzling smile. "I'm ready to go whenever you'd like."

"Great." The first man smiled, along with the woman, and leaned back in his chair. "Wow us, Minako."

Her last thought before she began was a simple one. _Nobody can _ever _know about this!_

* * *

Corey paced back and forth in his living room, hands clasped behind his back. _She'll be here soon. And she's gonna cook. Dammit, why did everyone have to warn me about her cooking? _ Even Titus had been in his ear…

_The ginger cat leaned in close, despite the fact that they were alone in his apartment. "I've done some _research _into Minako…_and_ her cooking."_

_Corey let out a loud groan. "I really don't wanna hear this, Titus…"_

"_Four years ago, she nearly killed Rei with a salt overdose...from rice porridge."_

_He shook his head. "I'm sure that's gotta be an exaggeration."_

"_My sources are quite reliable, I assure you." The cat actually sounded a little miffed. "A year and a half ago, she burned down Makoto's kitchen."_

"_Only half of it actually burned down, _and _I already knew that._" _Corey reached up to rub at his suddenly sore temples; this wasn't helping his nerves at all._

"_Oh?" Titus pulled off one of his near-perfect human shrugs. "I heard it was more like two-thirds, but let's not quibble over semantics." He glanced over at the kitchen. "She blows up electronics just by touching them, too, so I suggest keeping her away from the microwave."_

"_Oh, come on!" Corey protested. "That's not even scientifically possible!"_

"_It happened!" the cat replied quickly. "I have eye-witness testimony!"_

"_Whatever, man…" He sighed. "Can you just cut it out, please? I'm nervous enough as it is."_

_Titus cocked his head to the side. "It's not just the cooking, is it?"_

_Corey shook his head. "I'm a little anxious about...well, after dinner." He glanced down at the cat and ran his hand through his hair. "Minako's been a little more…_affectionate _lately. From things she's said, I think she wants-"_

_The cat began laughing. "Sex?"_

"_Jesus, Titus, you don't have to be so blunt!"_

"_Why, Corey, I had no idea you were such a prude!" Titus actually _snickered_; it was quite unlike him._

"_I'm not a prude!" he argued. "It's just...I don't know-"_

_Titus frowned. "You don't know what to do?"_

"_I'm nearly twenty-years-old, you dumbass!" Corey rolled his eyes. "I understand the __mechanics_ _just fine!"_

"_Then what's the problem?" He ignored Corey's errant insult. "Corval and Mina must have made love countless times. It shouldn't really be a big deal for either of you; not mentally, anyway. You remember it, right?"_

"_Huh…" Corey considered that for a moment. "That actually helps..."_

He drifted back to reality, and shook his head. _Why _am _I nervous? I want that, right? Of course I do! _An image of Minako holding her nurse outfit flashed through his mind, followed quickly by an image of her _wearing _it...two sizes too small and all; he felt woozy just thinking about it. _Get a hold of yourself, man, and cut that shit out. You can't answer the door with a nosebleed!_

As if on cue, there was a knock on the door - three sharp raps, to be precise; Minako's knock. He walked over slowly, ran his fingers through his hair to straighten it a little, and opened the door. His heart skipped a beat at the sight of her; she was wearing an orange and white floral pattern sundress under a denim jacket with short, matching heels. She was _radiant_…at least _he_ thought so.

Minako smiled brilliantly. "Hey, you!"

"Hi…" Corey was a little stunned. _I already knew she was beautiful but...wow. _He noticed two big bags in her hands and quickly reached for them. "Here, let me grab those."

"Thanks! They were getting a little heavy." Minako looked back at him and winked. "Hmm, I guess the outfit was a good choice, huh?" She performed a little pirouette, and he nearly got a nosebleed again as the bottom of her dress fluttered into the air.

"You're gorgeous, alright." Corey shook his head quickly to clear it. "But isn't it a little late in the year for a sundress?"

She reached up to flick his nose playfully. "Oh, silly cutie...it's _never _too late for a sundress!"

The bags were definitely heavy. Not uncomfortably heavy - not for him, anyway - but he did wonder how she'd managed to drag them all the way from her house.

"Mother dropped me off." Minako had guessed his next question. "She didn't want me carrying all that stuff over here with my back still on the mend."

"Right." He peered down at them. "What the hell have you got in here, anyway?"

"Everything!" She planted her forefinger on her cheek and glanced up at the ceiling. "I brought a wok, measuring spoons and cups, knives...everything I might need, really, because I remembered that if there's anyone worse at cooking than me...it's you. I figured you probably don't own much in the way of utensils."

Corey didn't even try to argue. "Yeah…you're probably right."

Minako stretched up on her toes and gave him a quick smooch. "Anyway...happy one month anniversary, Corey."

Corey smiled reflexively. "Happy anniversary, Mina."

She kicked off her shoes and breezed past him, shrugging out of her jacket and tossing it onto the couch. "Could you put those bags on the kitchen counter for me, please?" As soon as they were down, she began rummaging through them and pulled out an apron.

Corey smiled as she put it on; 'Minako' was written across the front, complete with a love-heart 'o'. _Just like her bedroom door_, he thought. _She's definitely cute._ The blonde stared down at his stovetop for a few seconds before reaching out tentatively to crank one of the knobs to high. A telltale blue flame appeared, and he could have sworn she let out a little 'yay' as she clapped. _Oh, god…__I don't know whether to laugh or cry, _he thought._ I'm terrified!_

Minako produced several containers of ingredients from her bags. "I did all the prep work I could at home to make the actual cooking easier."

"Oh, right. Smart." She dumped some sliced pork into the wok and began stirring as it hissed. He found himself standing around awkwardly, unwilling to leave her alone. _If she starts a fire, I need to be ready_. Unfortunately, this put him squarely in her way; she must have bumped into him three times in as many minutes as she moved back and forth between the counter and the stove. After the third time, she lost her patience.

"Corey…" She planted her hands firmly on her hips. "You need to go away. Now!"

"But-"

"No buts! Shoo!" She started pushing him backwards out of the kitchen. "Out! Go on! You're cramping my style! How am I supposed to cook you a delicious meal with you hovering over my shoulder all the time?!" She shoved him down - rather forcefully - onto the couch; Minako was stronger than she looked, even without her Senshi powers. "Now stay! I'll let you know when it's ready."

And so it was that Corey wound up sitting on his couch, nervously flinching at every bang, crash and shriek that came from the kitchen. Minako even uttered the occasional string of profanity, which was surprising; he hadn't heard her swear so much the entire time he'd known her.

"Goddamned son of bitch!"

_That was English_, he thought, surprised. "Hey, that's one of mine!"

A nervous laugh flittered out of the kitchen. "Oh, uh...I guess I must've picked it up from you, huh?"

_Great, _he thought. _Artemis won't be happy about that. _He sat there, literally twiddling his thumbs, until he couldn't take it anymore. _I need to do something; might as well set the mood a little. _After a quick few steps into the bathroom, he had a paper bag in his hands. It held his 'romance' supplies, as Titus had dubbed them when he brought them home. _Candles, check. Candelabra, check. Vase, check. Fake rose…not super romantic, I guess, but check anyway. _He began arranging the table; the candles went in the middle, along with the vase and its faux flower.

As he worked, he looked up to see Minako busily stirring; she seemed relatively relaxed, and was even humming to herself, lost in her own little world. _She hasn't noticed yet. Good. _His hand reached out to turn off the living room lights, leaving the table lit only with the oddly entrancing light of the candles.

"Ooh!" Minako had finally noticed what he was up to; she leaned across the kitchen counter with a wide smile on her face. "I knew you could be romantic if you tried hard enough! I'm very impressed, cutie. You've earned some bonus points with this little demonstration!"

"Bonus points?" he asked, trying to be funny. "Are those redeemable?"

"You'll see." She giggled and returned her focus to the stovetop; a panicked shriek followed. "No, no, no! I already told you _not _to do that!"

Corey frowned, and took a step towards the kitchen. "Is everything alri-"

"It's fine! Nothing to worry about!" Her tone was clearly at odds with her words. "Everything's under control!"

He returned to the couch reluctantly; Minako was obsessing just a little, as she could. Corey had to admit he found it one of her more endearing qualities; she always gave her all, and then a little more, no matter what she was doing.

"Behave…" she growled. "Simmer, damn you!"

The next few minutes were blessedly uneventful. He tried talking to her, but Minako was focused entirely on her cooking now; she just replied that she was 'busy'. _Back to twiddling my thumbs, I guess. _He frowned down at his hands. _What the hell is twiddling, anyway? Why wouldn't we just say twirling? _He had his phone in his hands before he knew it, searching for the definition of 'twiddling'. _What the hell is wrong with me? Am I really that bored?_

"And…dinner is served!" He looked up to watch Minako practically skip over to the table, carrying two full bowls. He rushed over and pulled out her chair for her - his mother _had _raised a gentleman, after all - and she smiled.

"Why, thank you!" Minako tossed her apron into the kitchen, and he forced himself to look away; after all the commotion he'd heard earlier, he didn't even want to guess what it looked like in there. _I'll worry about that later. _Much _later._

He took a seat opposite her and looked down at the bowl before him. Everyone's warnings began echoing around his head. _Don't eat it…Minako's a terrible cook…you'll _die_! _Rei's warning sounded especially dire. Were they just giving him a hard time, or was he actually in mortal danger? Several seconds had gone by without him saying anything, and he glanced back up at his girlfriend nervously.

Minako leaned forward and rested her chin on her folded hands, smiling sweetly across the table at him. "So…whaddya think?"

He smiled nervously. "It looks great."

She nodded gently. "Uh-huh?"

"It smells great, too!"

Her eyebrow twitched as her smile became just a _little_ frosty. "And how does it _taste_?"

_Right. Stop being such a pussy and try it. Minako worked really hard making this for you! _He picked up his chopsticks and grabbed some pork and noodles. _Besides, s__he said her mother's been teaching her. That's gotta count for something…right?_

Minako's smile was dazzling; her eyes were practically shimmering as she watched him raise his food to his lips and into his mouth. _Oh, wow…it's pretty good! _Corey was a little ashamed at his own surprise._ The pork is tender, and the noodles are cooked perfectly without being too mushy. It's a little spicy…but Minako likes her ramen hot, so it's probably by design. _He chewed carefully and swallowed. Now, for the verdict.

Minako leaned in just that little bit closer. "Well? Is it…okay?"

Corey grabbed another mouthful and smiled. "It's great. I love it!"

"Yay!" She clapped excitedly and grabbed her own chopsticks. "I'm so glad it turned out alright!"

"Wait a minute," he said, disbelievingly. "_You_ weren't sure it'd be okay? You sounded so confident!"

She shrugged as she slurped an errant noodle into her mouth. "Well, I was pretty confident I could make it again without mother's help, but you never know if something will go wrong at the last minute, right?"

Corey shook his head and laughed quietly. _She's insane…and I love it._ "God, you're amazing."

Minako smiled and blew him a kiss. "You're pretty amazing yourself, cutie."

"Oh, I meant to ask already, but you were a little busy. How did your audition go?"

"It was fine," she replied. "I totally nailed it."

Corey was a little puzzled by her response; she seemed almost casual about it. "When will you find out whether you were successful or not?"

"Hmmm?" Minako quickly swallowed her mouthful. "Oh, I already did, they called me just after I got home." She smiled shyly. "I, uh…got the job. I'll be recording my first jingle next week!"

"That's awesome, Minako, congratulations!" He reached across the table to squeeze her free hand. "Is it a fun jingle? What's the ad for, anyway?"

"Uh…" She suddenly seemed very interested in her food as she jerked her hand back. "Nothing particularly interesting. Just boring old consumer products."

"Minako?"

"I…don't wanna say." Her cheeks had turned bright red. "It's…embarrassing."

_Embarrassing, _he wondered. _Now I _really _want to know!_ "Come on...how bad can it be? Tell me."

Minako shook her head. "Nope."

"Come on…"

"No."

He winked. "I'll be your friend…"

She was starting to crack; a small smile had formed on her lips. "You're already my boyfriend."

"But I'll be your…uh…super-extra-special boyfriend if you tell me."

Minako's smile didn't fade, but she shook her head again. "I'm not telling you, Corey."

"Fine, fine." Corey laughed quietly. "I'll find out eventually. You know that, right?"

She laughed herself. "We'll see, cutie."

Dinner eventually drew to a close. Corey insisted on doing the dishes; it was what he was used to back home. His mother or sister would cook, and he'd do the dishes. Old habits die hard, after all; it was the least he could do. Then, he joined her on the couch - at her insistence. Minako snuggled into him as she had done so many times before, and they sat in a comfortable silence. Her hand drifted up slowly, fingers tracing gentle lines over his chest.

"You've got a lot of muscle under your shirt," she said, after a few minutes of silent cuddling. "How is it I haven't seen you shirtless yet?"

"Uh…" Corey felt a little puff of pride at her observation; he was only human, after all. "I dunno. It's just never really happened, I guess."

"I wonder…" Minako looked up at him mischievously. "Is that offer to compare scars still on the table?"

_Damn, she's testing my restraint tonight_, he thought. "I guess I did offer, didn't I?"

"Take it off." Her eyes twinkled in the candlelight as she sat up and watched with interest as he quickly slipped his t-shirt over his head.

He felt a little satisfaction at seeing her eyes roam over his skin. _It's nice to know I'm not the only one to be caught staring now and then._

"You're definitely ripped," she murmured, reaching out slowly to brush her fingertips over his chest and down to his stomach. "Oh, yeah…_abs_…" Her cheeks went red again as she looked up suddenly. "Um...what was I saying?"

Corey held back a laugh. "Scars."

"Right, right…" She was still obviously distracted.

He turned slightly to reveal a trio of ragged scars running down his right side. "I got these from an especially nasty youma early on in my career as Guardian Justice. I underestimated his reach. And his speed." He let out a quiet laugh. "I didn't make that mistake again, trust me."

Her fingers traced over the lines gently. "Ouch…it makes mine look kinda tame by comparison."

Corey turned even further and reached back, pointing to a roughly circular mark on just above his left shoulder blade. "And _this_ is from a Dark Kingdom lieutenant who liked to throw crystal spikes. I wasn't quite fast enough."

"We almost have a matched set," she observed. "Ribcage and left shoulder."

"Huh…" Another quiet laugh escaped his lips. "You're right. I never thought about it like that."

Minako surprised him by leaning down and planting a gentle kiss on the scar over his ribs. "There. It's a little late, but I just kissed it better for you." It sent tingles up and down his spine. _She's never kissed me anywhere except my lips and cheek_, he thought, turning back to face her.

She smiled shyly at his reaction. "Sorry for all the crazy tonight...I've been all over the place, huh?"

He reached out to stroke her cheek. "I don't mind…I still think your crazy side's _hot_."

Minako stared back into his eyes silently; she appeared to be thinking. Then, without warning, she leaned in and kissed him deeply, crushing her lips against his own. He returned her kiss hungrily, cupping her cheek with his right hand as the other came up to rest on the small of her back; she melted against him and reached up to stroke her fingers across his bare chest as their lips worked together. There was something different about her tonight. _She doesn't taste like her usual strawberries, _he thought idly, as her tongue brushed over his lips. _But it's definitely something fruity. Orange? No…not orange…_

Her tongue teased him again, and it was like a switch was flicked on; he returned the favour, and she moaned quietly as he held her tighter, their tongues dancing in unison. His hand stroked up and down her spine gently and she arched her back, almost purring into his mouth; it certainly didn't seem to be causing her any pain. Her fingertips traced a slow, lazy circle, beginning on his stomach and ending at his chest, before making the return trip; they were travelling a little further south with each successive loop, a fact he was almost painfully aware of.

He couldn't help but be amazed by her beauty as they parted for air; her cheeks were flushed and her eyes sparkled in the dim light. He reached up to brush a stray lock of hair away from her eyes, and licked his own lips; he finally had it. "Mango?"

She giggled and leaned into him, resting her head against his chest. "You got it." She planted a soft kiss on the side of his throat…followed by another. And _another_.

Corey shuddered at the new sensation; this was much further than they'd ever taken things before. Minako was definitely no prude; she enjoyed a make-out session as much as he did, and he'd had his hands on her before, but she was on a whole other level tonight. _I think, maybe, my hunch was right…_

She spoke softly, almost a whisper. "Do you remember our conversation from the other day?"

_There's only one conversation she's referring to at this point_. "Of course."

"Well…" She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled shyly. "I've been thinking about it a lot over the past couple of days. You've been really patient with me, Corey. You've never tried to push me to do anything I didn't want to, and...I wanted to tell you that I really appreciate that." She only hesitated a second. "But I…I'm ready."

Corey's heart skipped what felt like several beats. _No, _he thought, _that's not it. It feels like it's going to explode in my chest!_ "Y-You are?" He winced as he heard his voice squeak. _Real smooth, Romeo!_

Minako's shy smile returned. "Yes. I'm ready…to make love with you." She leaned forward and kissed him, more gently this time. Her lips were sweet even with the mango lip gloss wearing off. That was just Minako; sweet all on her own.

Corey could have sworn he felt a trickle of blood slip out of his nose. "Uh..." _Oh, god…I can't talk! Why can't I talk? I'm not nervous! I want this! I want it, dammit! _

Her eyes rolled ever so slightly as she let out a sigh. "Really? This again? Come on, Corey, don't leave me in suspense. I just told you I want to make love with you; say _something_!"

_I can do that. I can say something. Easy. _Unfortunately, the only thing that managed to make it past the lump in his throat was a strangled sounding 'cool'.

Her smile fell into a frown instantly. "I tell you I want to make love with you...and you respond with _cool_?"

_Oh, god, _he thought frantically. _What the hell is wrong with you? __Say something! Just open your mouth and _speak_! Tell her you love her! No, wait! Tell her she's beautiful! Screw it, just say hell yes! _Try as he might, though, nothing would come out...and he was forced to shrug helplessly.

Minako shook her head and let out a melodious giggle. "Oh, my poor, sweet Corey. You're just lucky you're so cute!" She leaned in with a mischievous wink. "Let's see if I can shock you back to normal…" Her lips made contact with his neck again, producing more shudders. As her lips worked over his skin, he focused on his voice._ Come one! Mind over matter! Speak! Speak, dammit!_

Just as her tongue flicked across his earlobe… "I…I'm good! I'm back!"

"Aw…" She winked again. "That's a pity. I was just starting to enjoy myself." She kissed him again, before resting her forehead against his. "So…what do you think?"

After his rather embarrassing silence, he only had one thing to say to that. "I love you, Mina. More than anything. That's what I think."

She planted another kiss on him and he was lost in her lips once again; their feel, their taste. Their perfection. She drifted free once more, her lips moving to rest just above his ear. "I have a surprise for you, too…"

He swallowed; he wasn't sure how many more surprises he could take. "D-Do you?"

"Uh-huh. I got you a present."

Corey felt a smile of his own coming on. "Minako, you didn't have to get me anything-"

"Aw, but after my amazing birthday gift, how could I _not _get you something?" Minako asked. She reached up to touch the little golden heart hanging from her neck and smiled. "I promise you'll like it…"

"What is it?"

She leaned in close again. "I'll give you a hint." The sensation of her warm breath on his ear drove him wild. "I'm _wearing _it…"

That stunned him back into silence. His gaze fell slowly to the fairly modest neckline of her dress. Her pendant was suspended tantalisingly close to the swell of her breasts. _Minako's perfect breasts_, he thought, slipping into fantasy mode. _Breasts that, right now, are wrapped up in something _very _sexy. I'll bet she's a lace kinda girl. Yeah, she's definitely a fan of lace…though there's always the chance of a little silk in there, too. Just for fun. Maybe a little sheer fabric for teasing and-_

"Hey." Her voice made it clear she wasn't actually mad. "My eyes are up here."

"Yes, they are…" he agreed quickly. "And they're beautiful, just like the rest of you."

She rose slowly to her feet, pulling him along with her. They kissed again, even as she began to drift backwards towards the bedroom. "I'm thinking…we get on the bed…we make out a little, like we usually do…but then, instead of stopping…" She glanced down at her dress and smiled shyly. "You...unwrap your present."

He pressed his lips to hers again in a gentle kiss, and smiled. "That sounds perfect to me."

Her smile only continued to grow; she truly was the most beautiful woman on the planet. "I love you, Corey."

"And I love you…my goddess."

* * *

AN: So, Corey and Minako come full circle, and wind up back where Corval and Mina left off. I tried to balance Minako's sweet side with the slightly 'hentai' side she started showing in Super S and Stars. For that matter, I also tried to show that as much of a gentleman as Corey's been, he's a normal guy too; he is all too aware of how hot Minako is :D Sure, she somewhat seduced him...but he was far too much of a 'pussy' to make the first move, haha.

This was a bitch to write – I've never really written a lot in the way of romance before. Hopefully it wasn't too cringe-inducing for anyone! The next chapter will bring us back into the main plot again – I've got a few more subplots to resolve, but the intensity should start to ramp up a little. Thanks for reading, everyone. Feel free to leave a review and let me know what you thought. I'll be back with more soon!


	8. The Mission Revealed

Minako stirred slowly, stretching out as her eyelids fluttered. Her eyes opened a few seconds later, and she froze mid-yawn. _Where am I? This isn't my room! _The blonde's mind caught up with her body a moment later and she relaxed. _Right…I stayed over at Corey's again last night. _She sat up slowly, and the cool air on her exposed skin reminded her of her lack of clothes; this was only her second time sleeping here, the first being the night of their anniversary three days prior. _I guess I'm not quite used to it yet._

Minako glanced to her right and noticed Corey's shirtless back; she felt her cheeks growing hot as she remembered the night before. _I _am_ glad I waited like I planned, but god, making love with him is amazing! Last night was even better than the first time!_ She smiled as she leaned over and planted a gentle kiss on his shoulder.

It only took him a couple of seconds to turn around. "Morning, beautiful."

"Hey, you." They shared a brief kiss and, as he rolled onto his back, Minako quickly snuggled up against him. "How'd you sleep?"

"I've never slept better in my life; having you in my bed seems to agree with me." He laughed quietly. "It's a shame Artemis is probably experiencing the opposite…"

Minako sighed. _Oh, Artemis_. "Yeah. He's not exactly coping with the, uh…_evolution_ of our relationship. I think he still sees me as some little girl he has to protect, despite his pledge to try and accept that I've grown up." She shrugged. "He'll get over it. Eventually."

"I'm just surprised your parents are okay with all this."

She giggled. "Oh, cutie…mother's already planning the engagement party."

His eyes just about popped out of his skull. "What?!"

"I'm just kidding!" She leaned up to plant another kiss on his lips. "Seriously, though…she does like you a lot, which is surprising. Even dad seems pretty calm about the whole thing."

"I'm just that charming," he said smugly.

Minako rolled her eyes. "Sure. That must be it."

Corey glanced at the clock beside the bed. "Oops. In all the excitement last night I forgot to set an alarm. I've got class in half an hour."

She reluctantly slipped off his shoulder and sat up; the blanket fell to her waist again, but it didn't bother her; he'd seen it all at this point. "Well, I was going to suggest _we _grab a shower…but you should probably go first in that case. I don't start my day until noon."

He didn't reply; his eyes were locked on her chest.

She giggled, and slapped him on the arm playfully. "Hey! I'm talking to you!"

Corey winked. "Sorry...the scenery's a little distracting." He kissed her quickly. "I'll make it up to you another time, I promise."

"You'd better," she teased. "Now, get a move on. You don't want to be late; we'll all be calling you Usagi in no time."

He shot her a look of mock horror. "I'm going, I'm going!"

Minako slipped out of bed after him and into her robe; she'd done a little more planning before this overnight visit. Their anniversary had been fairly spontaneous; she'd had an inkling that she might decide it was the night…but it had only been cemented about halfway through dinner. This time, Minako had come prepared with an overnight bag.

She padded out into the living room and found Titus waiting for her. _My favourite cat, _she thought sourly.

"Good morning."

"Mm-hmm." He was far too cheerful for her liking.

If her non-committal reply bothered him, he didn't show it. "Well, it would seem this is going to be a regular occurrence moving forward."

"If you're referring to me sleeping here, then yes, it will." Minako filled the kettle with water and set it boiling. "I'm so sorry to disappoint you."

"Oh, I'm not disappointed," Titus replied. "On the contrary, I'm happy for Corey. He's clearly thrilled to have you back in his life. I can't begrudge the two of you for that."

She grabbed a tea bag from the pantry, followed by the coffee. "You're not happy for me, though?"

"Well…of course I am." There was a noticeable hesitation on his part. "You, uh…you're still angry with me, aren't you?"

_Bingo. _She spooned a healthy heaping of coffee into Corey's mug. "Whatever gives you that idea?"

"Call it a hunch," he remarked dryly.

"Fine." Minako slammed the coffee tin down on the kitchen counter with a little more force than she'd intended. "Yes, Titus, I'm still angry. Not only did you hurt Corey, the man I love…but you took away my memories of Corval! You _stole _him from me, Titus! Can't you see why I'd be angry?"

"But I apologised-"

"Not to _me_!" Her already thin patience had worn out. "You went digging around in my head while I slept, you _stole _my memories of Corval from me…and you never even said you were sorry!"

Titus remained silent and stared at the floor.

"I mean, do you think so little of me?" she demanded. "What did I ever do to you to warrant that kind of treatment?" She shook her head. "That's what I can't stand about you, Titus…you don't care about anyone or anything except yourself, and your mission."

"That's not true." His voice was quiet; barely a whisper. "I care about Corey. I care about him a lot." His ears flattened. "And…I suppose the truth is that he cares about _you_ a lot…which means I really should make more of an effort."

It was Minako's turn to remain silent; she simply folded her arms across her chest and waited for him to continue.

"I…" The ginger cat was clearly uncomfortable. "You're right. I didn't apologise to you…and that was wrong of me. I…" He sighed. "I'm sorry, Minako. I'm sorry for locking away your memories of Corval. I'm sorry for the whole thing. It was wrong of me and, for what it's worth...that entire chain of events is one of the few true regrets I have."

Minako considered his apology as she reached for the kettle. _I have plenty of evidence that he's a pathological liar_..._but something tells me he's actually being genuine for a change. _"Well...I suppose I can accept your apology, even as late as it is." She turned away to fill both mugs with boiling water.

"Thank you." He hesitated again. "Just…do me a favour? Don't hurt him, okay?"

There was no hesitation in her voice at all. "I would _never _hurt Corey. I couldn't."

"I'm glad to hear that."

"Titus?" Minako placed the kettle down and turned again to stare at him. "The same goes for you. Don't you ever hurt him again…or you'll regret it." Her hand raised up, two fingers spread apart miming scissors. "Snip...snip..."

"You have my promise!" He laughed quietly. "I appreciate your strong reply, actually; it would seem there's more of Mina in you than I first thought, Minako. I'm glad." There was a slight pause as he cleared his throat. "Well, since it's clear neither of us is going anywhere anytime soon, I suggest we try and get past our initial dislike for each other. For Corey's sake."

Minako lifted the teabag from her mug and smiled faintly. "I agree. For starters, could you stop constantly implying I'm insane?"

He let out a chuckle. "Baby steps, Minako. Baby steps."

* * *

Usagi bit into another piece of toast – her third of the morning – as she scrolled through the news on her phone. _No more Trickster attacks. Yet. _Her father was listening to the radio as he read his newspaper; there had been no mention of strange attacks there either.

"…first day on the job for the new Prime Minister, Noboru Hayashida, who was sworn in yesterday following what some are calling a _surprising _election. Prime Minister Hayashida has long been considered a capable politician, popular within his own electorate, but has seemed to lack the wider support required to advance beyond Defence Minister. His sudden rise in popularity has confused some experts, who…"

"I like him," Kenji said idly. "He's always seemed like a good man, with a keen interest in the welfare of his electorate."

Ikuko was apparently unimpressed. "I don't know about that. He seems rather…unremarkable."

Chibiusa polished off her own breakfast and groaned loudly. "Who cares about any of this? It's so _boring_!"

"Now, now, Chibiusa," Kenji said. "Politics may seem boring now, but as you get older you'll start to realise that its many intricacies can actually be quite fascinating."

"That's a lie," Usagi snickered. "It never gets any more interesting than it is now." She shook her head. "It's always sad when someone dies…but it really doesn't matter _who _the Prime Minister is. He's not going to do anything about the real problem anyway..."

Chibiusa froze, and began gesturing awkwardly over Usagi's shoulder.

"What?" The blonde frowned. "What is it?"

"And just what is the real problem, honey?" her father asked.

She froze. _Uh-oh. I totally forgot he was here! _A nervous laugh made it out of her mouth as she turned to face him."Um…I'm sorry?"

"You said our new Prime Minister wasn't going to do anything about 'the real problem'." Her father leaned in closer, over his newspaper. "What do you mean by that? Is it some sort of insight from your political science classes?"

Usagi gulped. _Oops. _"Uh…" She abruptly glanced down at her wrist and leapt to her feet. "Well, I'd better run! I don't wanna be late for class!"

Kenji checked his own watch and frowned. "But-"

She kissed him on the cheek as she ran from the kitchen. "Gotta go, 'kay, bye!"

Ikuko stared after her. "Every time I think she's starting to grow up a little, Usagi goes and does something like that. She can be such a strange girl…"

"You're telling me," Kenji agreed. "She wasn't even wearing a watch!"

* * *

"It _must _be today," Michiru said firmly. "We can't afford to wait any longer, Haruka. Time grows short."

Her love refused to look at her; she was clearly still uncertain about the plan. "Are you sure about this, Mich?"

Michiru sighed heavily. She remembered the plan's genesis well…

_"Look out!" Haruka cried, pointing at the familiar cloud of ash and smoke._

_"The Revenant Knight," Michiru said softly, reaching back instinctively for her transformation wand._

_"Hold, Senshi…" The cloud of smoke assumed its familiar shape; an armoured knight. "I am not here to fight you."_

_Haruka wasn't buying it. "Then why are you are?"_

_The cloud scattered momentarily, as if he were having trouble maintaining his form. "I am here to _talk_." His hands spread apart slowly. "This pointless conflict serves no-one…but we are forced into it by your Princess' stubbornness. She will not see reason; I must have the power of the Silver Crystal. Only through its might can I ensure Chaos is defeated forever."_

_"You want to defeat Chaos?" Michiru folded her arms across her chest. "I find that hard to believe."_

_"Believe whatever you wish," the Knight replied. "The fact remains I _will_ hunt down Chaos wherever it lurks, and destroy it. I will not rest until I have purged the galaxy of its corruption."_

_Haruka shook her head. "It doesn't matter what you want to do with it; we will _not_ help you take the Silver Crystal from our Princess. We're loyal to her alone."_

_"Oh, Sailor Uranus…I know how loyal you are. It is without question; I can see it in your minds."_

_Michiru stiffened; _that_ was what she could feel. It was like fingers, riffling through her mind. "Stop it!" She glanced over at Haruka; her love seemed to be caught in the same position._

_"You know of duty, _and_ sacrifice," he continued. "You know of _pain_. The other Sailor Senshi…they are like selfish children, constantly worrying about their normal lives. They fail to realise that their duty overrides it all." A clawed hand rose to slowly clench into a fist, as he lost his shape again for a moment. "They do not understand. They see their duty as a game; something to do around their other lives. They worry about classes and boys, while you are the only two Sailor Senshi who remain vigilant…dedicated to the defence of your Princess and this world."_

_"That's…not right." Haruka's voice sounded strained, like she was struggling against an unseen force. "Michiru?"_

_Michiru was battling herself; somehow, his words made perfect sense. These were all thoughts she'd had before. _We are different_, she agreed silently. _That much cannot be denied. It's always been this way, even in the Silver Millennium. They attended fancy dress balls, and laughed and danced and played…while we sat out in the cold on the edges of the solar system, watching for threats.

_"The Guardian Knight is no better." The Knight's voice was cold. "He failed the Moon Kingdom once by losing sight of what justice truly is; he was blinded by his love for the princess of Venus. I saw it in his mind; he knows the truth, even if he would deny it now. He has found her again. Do you really think he will remain objective?"_

He's right_, she thought. _Corey is already falling into the same pattern in this life…is he already blinded by his love for Minako? If not, how long before he falls under her spell again?

_"Make no mistake, Senshi; if I reach Earth, I will do what I must. I would destroy this world a thousand times over to attain the Silver Crystal. That is my sense of duty; I hold nothing in higher regard."_

_Disjointed snippets of images flashed through her mind. Usagi lay dead on the ground, her neck bent at an impossible angle. And then…she saw it. Haruka's broken corpse; her throat had been slit, her ribcage crushed. Michiru felt the horror growing inside. _No! It…it's not real! It can't be!_ But no matter how many attempts she made to banish it from her mind's eye, the image remained._

_"Witness the world if I should come, Senshi…and weep."_

_Michiru had chosen Haruka over the world once before; she already knew she would make that choice again if she had to. _After all_, she thought grimly, _it's just like I told the puppet master years ago. A world without Haruka wouldn't be worth saving.

_The images vanished as suddenly as they had appeared. The Knight's eyes gleamed ruby red as it drifted before them. "However…there may be another way."_

_Haruka glanced sidelong at her; she seemed rattled. "What other way?"_

_"Perhaps, if I had all eight of your transformation wands, I might not need the Silver Crystal at all."_

_"You…you think we would ever help you?" Haruka demanded. "That would leave the others defenceless!"_

_Michiru wanted nothing more than to agree, but her head felt strangely cloudy. Everything the Revenant Knight had said made a strange kind of sense._

_"With or without your powers," he growled, "you will fall should you face my true form. You must make a choice; will you die in a senseless battle, or live on as pariahs, knowing you saved your Princess and this world from destruction?"_

We betrayed the Princess once before_, Michiru thought solemnly. _We turned on our own, and killed Pluto and Saturn. All for a chance to destroy Galaxia_. She swallowed past the growing lump in her throat. _Were we wrong back then? Do we dare make that choice again?

_The Revenant Knight faded a third time; it was becoming more frequent. "I simply offer you a chance to spare yourselves, your fellow Senshi, and your Princess further pain. The choice, however…is yours." It faded away into nothingness, leaving the two Senshi alone again._

_Haruka turned to face her; Michiru saw the same struggle on her love's face. "We can't do this again, Michiru…can we?!"_

We can't_, Michiru told herself. _Haruka is right_. But a voice seemed to whisper in her mind. _You must…you can't let Haruka die, can you? You'll be alone…all alone_. As she closed her eyes, she saw it again; Haruka's broken body. She was dead…and Michiru was all alone. _We've only seen a fraction of the Revenant Knight's power so far_. _He devours entire worlds; how can we hope to stand against him? None of us were able to defeat Galaxia. Only Usagi was strong enough…and even that was equal parts luck_. She shook her head. _This is like Galaxia all over again…except unlike her, he has no real interest in keeping any of us alive. He doesn't want star seeds...just the Silver Crystal...

_"Michiru?" Haruka was still waiting for an answer._

_Her eyes narrowed; she knew what had to be done. "I cannot watch you die, my love…I couldn't bear it. It may all be lies, and I may be a fool for believing them…but if our only chance of survival is handing over everyone's transformation wands? I'm willing to take that chance. For your sake. For Usagi's. For everyone…"_

"I'm sure," she said coolly, breaking from her reverie. "We must do this, Haruka. The others don't understand...but they don't need to. They'll give us their transformation wands…or we'll take them for their own good."

Haruka folded her arms across her chest. "It isn't that simple. It's not just them we have to worry about. Setsuna and Hotaru are in possession of two of them…and Mamoru and Corey won't just stand by as we battle the other Senshi."

"We'll fight them too if we must." Michiru could feel the truth behind her words. The voice in her mind agreed. _Yes…you must protect your Princess, and Haruka. Save them…_ "We're the Sailor Senshi of the Outer Solar System and we _will _carry out our duty. We _will _keep the Princess safe, along with everyone else. Even if we have to leave them powerless in the process!"

* * *

Noboru Hayashida leaned back in his chair and let out a smug laugh. Mere days had passed since he was approached by the spirit, and it had well and truly delivered on its promises; he was Prime Minister of Japan. He had power, now. And respect. _Years of political ambitions achieved in just a few, short days_, he thought. _Marvellous! _

A familiar voice entered his mind. _I take it you're pleased, Prime Minister? _The spirit materialised slowly. It looked different, somehow; fuller. Wisps of thin smoke surrounded its shadowy figure, curling into the air lazily.

He rose from his chair, feeling a wide grin spread across his face. "Oh, spirit, I am _ecstatic_! I still don't quite understand your reasons for wishing me success…but I am very appreciative all the same!"

_Arranging for enough support from the other members of the Diet was a simple task…their greed knows no bounds. Most didn't even pause to consider my terms before pledging their support…_

"My compatriots in the Diet _are_ quite greedy," Hayashida agreed, chuckling quietly. "And the Prime Minister? I can't pretend I'll shed any tears over his passing. He was a power-hungry fool, who held me back for far too long. The power is in _my _hands now…as is Japan."

The spirit seemed almost amused. _You've earned this, Prime Minister…along with everything else that's coming to you…_

Hayashida turned to stare out the window. "Things will be different under my stewardship, I assure you. I have great plans for this country."

_Oh, I am sure you do. _It flickered; for just a moment, Hayashida could have sworn a horned helmet replaced its blank face. _Now…there is the matter of my payment…_

The politician frowned. "Yes, I do recall you mentioning a favour. What would you ask of me?"

_It is a simple request, really. _A pair of red ruby eyes flashed into existence. _All I want…is your _body_!_

"What?" Hayashida frowned in confusion. "I don't understand."

_Foolish mortal! _The spirit flickered, and spikes appeared, jutting out of its shoulders.

_No_, Hayashida realised. _Not shoulders…some sort of armour!_

_You speak of greed, but what of yours? _Its fingers stretched out, elongating into claws. _You were so quick to sell your soul for a chance at power...and now, you must pay the price for your success!_

The Prime Minister's arm reached out for the intercom; the spirit raised its hand, and Hayashida was frozen in place. His eyes darted about frantically. "What…what have you done to me?!"

"Fool…" For the first time, the spirit's voice was audible, not just in his head. "You finally begin to realise how small and insignificant you truly are. I have been grooming you from the start, Hayashida; readying you for this moment. Your greedy little mind fought me, at first. It tried to keep me out. It tried to protect you…but the speck of darkness within began to grow. Until now…now, you are _ready_."

"I don't understand! Who are you?" His voice became more frantic with each passing second. "_What _are you? Why are you doing this?"

"You wished for power," the spirit said mockingly. "You wished for _respect_. I have given you both, and now they shall be _mine_. I am your better, Hayashida…and soon, I will be _you_!"

The politician struggled to move, but only managed to wiggle his fingers. "Please! We can work something out-"

"The time for deals is done!"

Hayashida's pleas were cut off as the spirit broke apart in a cloud of ash and began streaming into his head; thick clouds of dust poured into his nose, his ears, and his mouth, suffocating him. The pain was indescribable; it felt like his brain was on fire. There was another presence inside his mind; a dark, ominous force crushing him under its weight.

_You will give yourself to me…completely. _

He keeled over and hit the floor, pain blossoming out from his skull. Little by little, pieces of his very being were taken and devoured by the creature in his mind. _What…a fool…I was_, he thought sadly. _My greed…caused this. My lust…for power. And now…I've let a monster…into the Prime Minister's office. _His eyes rolled back in his head as the world went dark around him.

_Oh, gods…have mercy…on my soul…_

* * *

Rei eased herself out of the bath and grabbed her robe. _Much better_, she thought. The ache in her muscles had eased completely. _A nice hot bath and meditation; it cures mind _and _body._ The shrine maiden gathered her things and slid the door open. As she stepped out into the cool autumn air, a familiar voice called her name.

"Rei!"

She turned to find Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune standing behind her. "What are you two doing here?"

"The Revenant Knight is coming." Neptune's voice was as cold as the breeze around them. "We cannot hope to defeat him…so we must look for other options."

"Our transformation wands," Uranus continued. "All of them, together, may provide a suitable substitute for the Silver Crystal…and secure our survival."

"You want us to give up our transformation wands?" Rei couldn't believe what she was hearing. "All on the _hope _that it's enough to satisfy that smoky bastard?"

"I knew you wouldn't understand," Neptune muttered. "You Guardian Senshi are all the same. You resent your duty, but you cling to your powers stubbornly, unwilling to give them up despite your constant complaints! It's maddening!"

"What's wrong with you?" Rei backed away slowly; she recognised the danger here, even if she didn't want to believe it. "Why are you acting like this?"

"We are acting to protect the Princess," Uranus said, taking a step forward. "_And _the rest of you; even from yourselves." Her hand rose, palm up. "Hand over your transformation wand, Rei. Don't fight us on this; we have no wish to hurt you."

Rei shook her head once. "You must be insane to think I'd ever agree to that."

"We didn't think you would." Neptune's emotionless voice was disconcerting. "We hoped…but we knew you wouldn't see reason. None of you ever do. It seems the two of us are the only Sailor Senshi willing to make sacrifices for the greater good." She turned to Uranus. "You know what must be done."

"Unfortunately, I do." Uranus nodded, and took another step forward. "I'm sorry, Rei, but if you won't hand it over, you leave us with no choice but to take it from you."

Rei's hand shot quickly to her wrist, activating the emergency alert on her communicator, before reaching behind her back for her wand. _They're really serious! I can't believe this! They're turning on us again!_

"That was a mistake, Rei," Uranus growled. "You're only making it more difficult for yourself."

"If you think it's so easy…" Rei said, "Just try and take my wand from me!" She pulled it free from her subspace pocket and thrust it into the air above her head.

"Mars Crystal Power, Make Up!"

Her robe melted away, replaced with her uniform as the familiar power of Sailor Mars filled her body. She raised her now-gloved hand, and waved them on. "Come and take it…if you can!"

* * *

AN: Things are starting to heat up now. I'm hoping I can keep the updates coming at a decent pace – we're approaching the most developed part of the story (at least, in my summary!). The spirit has made its move…and the Outer Senshi have made their 'mission' known. The next chapter should be interesting – I've got a rough draft completed already, and one of the main features is a rematch from the first act.

Thanks for reading, everyone. Much appreciation to my wonderful regulars especially; I always get a kick out of reading your feedback. More to come soon!


	9. Resentment and Obsession

"Come and take it…if you can!"

Uranus made the first move, lunging forward and swinging at Mars' chest; she blocked the strike on her forearm and ducked around a second blow. _She's serious_, she thought. _Why__ this sudden turn? _Mars countered, launching her own attack with a flurry of quick punches; Uranus blocked them all with apparent ease and retaliated, burying her fist in Mars' stomach. The shrine maiden felt the air being driven from her lungs and stumbled back quickly. Neptune was still standing off to the side, her arms folded across her chest. That was lucky; she had no chance against both of them at once_._

Uranus dashed forward again, reminding Mars of her unnatural speed; blows rained down on her in rapid succession and it was all she could do to keep up. One punch crashed into her shoulder; it felt like her entire arm had gone numb. Another slipped through her defences to graze her cheek; it was still enough to snap her head back. Mars was getting angry. _They've betrayed us again!_ She cocked her fist back and threw it forward with all her might. Uranus grabbed it in mid-air and pulled her forward; right into a waiting forearm.

Mars' vision exploded with a flash of white, followed quickly with another as Uranus repeated the move. Then, the back of her head hit the stone beneath her as the Sky Senshi caught her with a leg sweep. _Damn it! I can't compete with her in close_, she realised. _She's too fast, too strong!_

"Give it up, Mars," Neptune called. "We take no pleasure in this."

"Please," Uranus agreed. "I don't want to hurt you. We're doing this _for_ you, don't you see?"

Mars' anger continued to mount; she felt different. She felt powerful, just like her final battle with Sailor Pain. _They had their chance after last time, and here they are betraying us again!_ "Liar!" She thrust her hand forward and hurled a ball of flame right into Uranus' chest. The force of the impact knocked her back into the air, and Mars seized the opportunity to flip to her feet…to find Neptune waiting for her.

"Deep Submerge!"

There was no chance for Mars to dodge as the shifting aqua globe slammed into her chest, knocking her back into the wall of the shrine. Getting up wasn't as easy this time. Mars struggled but only managed to drag herself along the ground. She heard hurried footsteps behind her and rolled onto her back to see her grandfather.

"What is going on here?!"

"No, Gran-, er…_sir__, _stay back!" She remembered all too well what had happened the last time he got involved, and she wasn't sure the Outer Senshi were above that. "It's too dangerous here! Please!"

Amazingly, he actually heeded her warning; it seemed he remembered his last foray into a Senshi battle well. "I…I'll get help!" He disappeared as quickly as he'd arrived.

Mars dragged herself to the wall, desperate for something to help pull her to her feet; she cried out painfully as Uranus buried her toes in her ribs.

"You ingrate!" she roared. "We're doing this to save you all!"

"You Guardian Senshi only resent your powers," Neptune agreed. "Why fight so hard to hold onto them now?"

"Is…that…" Mars coughed, and tried to stand again. "Is that…what you think? That we resent our roles as Sailor Senshi?"

Uranus seized her by the arm and yanked her to her feet. "You sure as hell don't seem to take them very seriously!"

Mars teetered; if not for Uranus' grip she'd likely fall again. "We take them _very _seriously! We just haven't given up on our normal lives the way you two have! We _balance _them." Her eyes narrowed. "Something you seem to struggle with!"

"Enough!" Uranus buried her fist in Mars' stomach again; she staggered back against the wall behind her. "Give us your wand, Mars."

"Go…to…hell!"

Uranus cocked back her fist again...abruptly dove to the side as a familiar sword cut through the air between them.

"Mars!" Justice took hold of her shoulder as she slumped and helped her slide slowly but safely to the ground. "Are you alright? What's going on here?"

"They're after our…transformation wands," she said wearily. _I'm done…Uranus was too strong for me..._

He span to face Uranus and Neptune. "What the hell?"

"I would also like an explanation."

Mars turned her head to see Sailor Pluto standing before a glowing violet square in space and time; Sailor Saturn stepped through a moment later and it closed behind her. Neither seemed particularly impressed with what they saw.

"Don't interfere, Corey." That was Neptune. "That goes for the two of you as well, Setsuna."

Justice stepped between Mars and Uranus, his sword still in his hand. "Like there's any chance of that happening. Now, I'll repeat my question, _Stretch_...what the hell is going on?"

Saturn walked over slowly to join him; she remained silent but Mars could see anger in her eyes. Her standard calm mask wasn't able to hide it right now.

Pluto stood between both parties, apparently unwilling to take sides. "This is not the way, my friends. Did you learn nothing last time?"

Mars was sure Uranus actually paled. "This is…different. There's no hope against the Revenant Knight, Setsuna. We have to give him what he wants, and hope like hell that he just leaves like he says he will!"

"What are you talking about?" Justice demanded. "Did he approach you? Please tell me you weren't actually stupid enough to believe anything he said!"

"This has nothing to do with you," Neptune said, stepping forward to stand beside her partner. "We're doing this for the Princess-"

"No." Pluto's tone was flat. "You can lie to yourselves all you want but don't lie to me. This is about _you_." She shook her head sadly. "I had hoped after last time that you would have learned that this isn't the way."

"Last time?" Justice asked. "That's the second time you've said that, Pluto. _What _last time?"

Mars managed to stand. "In the battle against Galaxia, they turned on Usagi…and killed Setsuna and Hotaru." Her violet eyes were doing their best to burn holes in the two traitorous Senshi. "They claimed it was all part of a ploy to destroy Galaxia...but their little plan failed spectacularly!"

Uranus actually lowered her fist. "We thought-"

"Quiet, Uranus." Neptune reached out to squeeze her shoulder, and Mars began to understand.

_Pluto's right, _she realised. _This _is _all about them…and their love for one another. That's where this is coming from! _

"This is different, Setsuna," the aqua-haired Senshi continued.

"How?" Saturn asked quietly. "Here you are attacking your fellow Sailor Senshi. Again."

Neptune remained impassive. "If the Revenant Knight comes, he _will _tear this world apart in his quest for the Silver Crystal. Our only hope is to give him what he wants-"

"Bullshit."

Mars glanced at Justice and realised the potential danger; from prior experience she knew he had a potentially volatile temper. "Uh-oh…"

"You two." His voice was strangely calm. "You called _me _a traitor when we first met. You even had the gall to try and sentence me to death. And now? Now, I find out you'd already betrayed everyone else long before I even came to Tokyo." His helmet tilted forward slightly as he bowed his head and laughed quietly. "I knew there was a reason I didn't like you."

Again, Uranus seemed unsettled. "We're trying to-"

"I refuse to accept that," he snapped. "There's never any reason to turn on your friends!"

_Something is wrong here_, Mars thought. _I sense something familiar…but I can't place it._

Neptune stepped forward; her neutral expression was showing the first signs of cracking. "But that's just it, isn't it, Mars? We're _not _friends. We don't spend time together. We wouldn't see the rest of you at all if it weren't for Senshi meetings and battles." She reached up to idly brush a lock of hair back into place. "The truth is none of you have ever really forgiven us for our actions three years ago. Have you?"

"This _must _be done," Uranus agreed. "If we can just appease the Revenant Knight…give him what he wants…we might be able to avoid further conflict entirely!"

Neptune nodded slowly. "Think about it; you'll be free to live your lives the way you wish. We _know _how you all think. You'll be happier without your powers!"

Mars snorted angrily. "I think _we'll _be the judge of that!"

"You're so stubborn…" Neptune said, sighing heavily. "It's always been this way, even in the Silver Millennium. You Guardian Senshi lived in luxury in the palace while we sat out on the edges of the solar system, keeping you safe so you could attend balls and dance, and laugh, and flirt with boys-"

"You're _jealous_?" Mars couldn't believe it. "That's what this is all about?!"

Neptune's tone firmed up; there was an undercurrent of steel to her words now. "You've never taken your duties seriously; not in a thousand years." Her hand raised and slowly clenched into a fist. "We _know _our duty, and we are prepared to carry it out! Hand over your transformation wands. That goes for you and Hotaru too, Setsuna."

Saturn raised the Silence Glaive and glared back at them. "Never."

"I agree." Pluto took five long steps to stand beside Saturn. "We stand where we belong; beside our fellow Sailor Senshi. With our Princess."

Justice stepped forward slowly, shifting into a defensive posture. "Just as I stand where _I _belong; between you and them." His sword lowered gradually until the tip was pointing right at Neptune. "I'm asking you to give up this foolishness and withdraw. I warn you…you do _not _want me to consider you a threat."

"Aren't you forgetting something, _Tinman_?" Uranus asked. "We've tangled before...and you lost."

"That was then and this is now," he countered. "I wasn't even really a Guardian Knight back then...but now? I'm more than capable of destroying you both...if it comes to that."

"Justice," Mars said cautiously. "Don't get cocky."

"Don't worry, Mars." His helmet remained locked on Uranus. "This isn't arrogance; it's confidence. I'm well aware of how strong they are…but it's not enough."

"I'll warn you in return, Justice," Neptune called. "Do not interfere. You wish to protect Usagi? When the Revenant Knight drifts over this city, devouring everyone, how will you cut him with your sword? How will you burn him with your flames?" She shook her head, and a hint of sad resignation broke through her mask. "No. The only way to ensure Usagi's survival, and the safety of the Silver Crystal, is with co-operation. He says our transformation wands may be enough-"

"Listen to yourself!" Pluto cried. "_May_? He gives vague assurances without any proof! Since when did you become so trusting?"

"I _don't _trust him." Neptune's arms finally unfolded as she brought her hands up before her. "But we have no other choice, Pluto! I've _seen_ a vision of the future if we resist...and I won't let that happen!" Her gaze turned to Uranus once more. "I can't!" She thrust her hands forward. "Deep Submerge!"

Justice raised his shield before them, absorbing the blast with ease. There was no trace of anger in his voice now; only a quiet calm. "You've let your love for Haruka blind you to the injustice of your actions. That isn't love; it's _obsession_." His sword came up. "So be it."

He dashed forward with surprising speed and blinked away in a flash of light; Neptune span away abruptly as he appeared before her, his sword descending towards her face. The blade sliced into her shoulder as she dodged, cutting through the clear material above it and into her skin.

Mars grabbed Pluto's arm. "Shouldn't we help him?"

The Guardian of Time shook her head. "_Sir _Justice is more than capable, I assure you."

"But-"

"Sailor Mars, I have witnessed Guardian Knights battle at their full strength before." Pluto shot her a small smile. "Trust me when I say Corey will be fine."

"Yeah, okay...but what about _them_?" Mars asked. "Something is wrong here, Setsuna! I don't know what it is, but they feel…_off_! Their resentment of us? Their sudden turn? It doesn't make any sense!"

Pluto's eyes remained locked on the battle before them. "And what of their sudden turn during the battle with Galaxia, Rei? Were they being coerced then? Was Galaxia inside their heads too?"

Mars caught her meaning and began to understand the truth; that hurt more than any of Uranus' blows. "No…I don't suppose she was."

"The Revenant Knight cannot control others directly," Saturn said. "Sailor Moon and Sailor Venus said as much after our return from Ruin's sanctum. Their latent feelings of resentment and anger were intensified…but they remained in control of their own actions." She sighed. "It is difficult to accept, but Uranus and Neptune were weak against his influence because somewhere deep inside their hearts they _do _resent you all. That much is clear."

Justice absorbed an attack from Uranus on his shield, before spinning and unleashing a crescent blast of light from his sword; Uranus was knocked to the ground as the trailing edge cut into her side. Her partner rolled out of her dive and unleashed another attack; the Guardian Knight blinked out of the way, leaving the rolling aqua orb of energy on a collision course with the shrine.

Mars was horrified. "Oh, gods, no!"

He reappeared before it at the last second and raised his shield; there was a bright flash of light, but when the smoke cleared both Justice _and _the shrine were still standing.

"If you two bitches damage my shrine, I'll take it out of your hides!" Mars yelled.

They didn't seem to hear her, already regrouping for another attack. Uranus drew her sword and leapt at Justice with unbelievable speed. A loud clang echoed throughout the courtyard as the two blades met; Justice quickly forced Uranus off with his superior strength and swung at her with a horizontal cut. The Senshi of the Sky blocked but quickly found herself being driven back; as before, it was clear who the better swordsperson was.

"Why is she trying to fight him sword to sword?" Mars wondered.

"It may be an attempt to keep him distracted," Pluto replied. "I doubt it will work."

Sure enough, Neptune fired off another "Deep Submerge" at Justice's unprotected back as Uranus slashed forward with her sword; he simply split his shield in half and blocked both attacks at once. His sword lashed out a moment later and cut into Uranus' forearm, drawing blood. She leapt back out of reach and he lunged for Neptune instead.

She held up her mirror. "Submarine Reflection!"

The blast of light lashed out and slammed into his shield. The translucent dish cracked, and several fractures spread out across its surface, but the Guardian Knight was undeterred. He kept coming and buried his fist in her stomach; Neptune staggered back, narrowly avoiding another swing of his blade as she regrouped beside Uranus.

Mars felt a frown coming on. "What is he doing? He could have finished her right there..."

"He's giving them a chance," Saturn said softly.

_Of course,_ Mars thought."Usagi…"

Pluto nodded. "He knows she wouldn't approve if he just killed them outright. He's holding back for her sake...and giving them a chance to come to their senses."

"Space Sword Blaster!"

"Submarine Reflection!"

The two attacks combined into one mass of energy and headed right at Justice; behind him lay the shrine. _They've figured out he won't let them damage it_, Mars realised. "Justice, just let them hit the shrine! You won't survive that-"

Saturn leapt forward in a blur of movement to stand before Justice. "Silence Wall!" Her own shield sprang into place before them…and they were obscured by a brilliant flash of energy as the Outer Senshi's combined attack crashed into it.

"Oh, gods!" Mars cried. She started rushing forward, but Pluto snagged her arm.

"You are in no shape to enter this battle."

Mars tried in vain to shake her lose but Pluto's grip was like a vice. "But they-"

"They are fine," Pluto assured her.

Sure enough, as the smoke began to clear she saw that Saturn and Justice were still standing; she was slumped back against his chestplate, breathing heavily, and he had his arm outstretched over her shoulder.

"You see?" Pluto said softly. "He extended his own shield first. Their attack broke through it but lost some of its power before striking _Saturn's_ shield. Between the two of them, they were able to block it."

Mars sighed in relief. _I was only bluffing about the shrine, too. _"That's smart thinking…"

Justice stepped around Saturn and tossed his helmet aside. "You've attacked Mars. You've attacked me. Now, you've attacked Saturn." His jaw muscles worked as he hesitated. "Usagi won't approve…but I can't allow this to continue anymore. You've had your chance to relent!" He disappeared yet again and blinked into existence on Uranus' left flank; his sword cut into her hip even as she dodged, sending her tumbling to the stone beneath her.

"Uranus!" Neptune seemed to forget herself and leapt in wildly, aiming a kick at his chest; Justice's hand grabbed hold of her ankle with surprising quickness, and he swung her up and around, driving her face-first into the ground. Mars winced. _That was pretty brutal, Corey...even with what they've done._

As Uranus slashed at him again with her sword, he deflected the blow and smashed Justiciar's pommel into her face. She staggered backwards, clutching at her mouth as blood spilled out between her fingers. He wasted no time dashing forward and repeating the manoeuvre, dropping her to the ground with another violent hit. His sword came to rest with its tip at her throat.

Neptune reached out towards them frantically. "Please, don't!"

"Stop this at once!"

Mars turned, along with everyone else, to see Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury, Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Chibi Moon standing on the roof of the shrine. The blonde Senshi dropped to the ground between the combatants and glared at each of them in turn. "Just what do you think you're doing?!"

His sword withdrew immediately. "They-"

"Sailor Moon!" Mars called. "Uranus and Neptune. They attacked first...Justice was just defending me. Er, us!"

Moon's face dropped into a neutral mask almost immediately as she turned to face the downed Outer Senshi. "Is this true?"

The remaining Senshi dropped from the roof behind her and took up defensive positions; Jupiter in particular seemed ready to fight.

Uranus wouldn't meet her gaze. "Usagi…we-"

"Is...this...true?" she repeated; Moon's voice was uncharacteristically flat, and her fingers were clenched tightly around her Tiare.

Neptune rose to her feet, staring evenly back at her. "Yes, Princess. It is."

"Why?" Moon's reply was barely even a whisper. "Why would you do this? _Again_? We forgave you after the last time, and-"

"With apologies, Princess, _you _may have forgiven us but the Guardian Senshi did not. Not all of them, anyway." Neptune reached up calmly to swipe at her temple with her glove; it came away bloody. "We were acting for your protection-"

"No!" Moon's sudden outburst surprised Mars – she hadn't heard such anger from her friend in a long time. "Don't you _dare _try and claim this is for me! You know I would never want this!"

"We knew..." Uranus still wouldn't make eye contact. "That's why we didn't approach you."

Justice sheathed his sword slowly and moved to stand beside Sailor Moon. "They claim the Revenant Knight told them the Sailor Senshi's transformation wands combined _may _be strong enough to act as a substitute for the Silver Crystal." He shook his head. "I don't know if he's somehow controlling them...or if they're just really _stupid_."

"What will you do now?" Neptune asked, slowly sinking to her knees beside Uranus to inspect her wounds. "How will _you_ stop him, Justice? What's _your_ grand plan?"

"I don't have one," he admitted. "But we _will _stop him. I know it."

Neptune laughed bitterly. "I can't afford to believe in dreams." She intertwined her fingers with Uranus' gently. "I have two loves in my life; my duty as a Sailor Senshi, and Haruka. I would have gladly given up my powers for just a _chance _to save my love and my Princess…but none of you could hope to understand that. You're all far too invested in your personal lives to care about your duty."

Jupiter took a step forward. "We seem to understand our duty far better than you do!"

"Michiru..." Uranus struggled slowly to her feet. "This is..." She reached up to clutch at her head, wincing in pain. "This is…_wrong_! If Justice kicking our asses isn't a sign, I don't know what is! There _has_ to be another way-"

"What other way?" Neptune screamed, suddenly angry. "Everyone keeps talking about this magical _other way_! Well, what is it? What does it involve? How will it save us all?" She shook her head and rose to her feet. "If we face the Revenant Knight, we are going to die...all of us!" Her eyes locked on Haruka once more; Mars saw desperation in her eyes. "How can I just accept that?!" She snatched Uranus' sword from her hand and dove at Justice wildly.

Mars understood. It was clear to her; she'd _seen _it when Uranus staggered; there was something on her back. Both their backs. Something evil. _I have felt this presence before_, she realised. _Before the Great Fire…when the Revenant Knight first approached _me_! _The shrine maiden dashed forward, brandishing two wards in her hands. Time seemed to slow down. Justice was already reacting to Neptune's attack, but he wasn't fast enough; his sword wouldn't clear its sheath in time. Mars focused her energy and hurled the paper slips forward. "Evil Spirit, begone!"

The wards fluttered through the air and became rigid, flaring with power as they stuck to the Outer Senshi's foreheads. Neptune dropped to the ground and Uranus' sword fell from her hand as she screamed in pain. Uranus was similarly affected, gripping her temples in her hands as a shadowy form erupted from her back. A second such creature tried to tear free from Neptune; it twisted and jerked, apparently caught in place by the ward's power.

Chibi Moon shrieked in fright. "Wha…what the heck is that thing?!"

"The Revenant Knight!" Jupiter cried.

Mercury was so stunned she'd forgotten to lower her visor. "_Two _of him?!"

Justice raised his sword, his eyes wide in surprise. "More projections…from _inside _them?!"

The shadowy forms did seem to be coming from _inside _Uranus and Neptune, extending out of their bodies just above their shoulder. They writhed in agony as the shadows uttered a high-pitched shriek, long claws beginning to stretch from their hands.

Mars grabbed Moon's shoulders; their leader had frozen up as well. "Sailor Moon, quickly! Heal them!"

She shook her head to clear it and nodded firmly. "Right!" Her Tiare came up before her. "Starlight Honeymoon Therapy Kiss!"

The two corrupted Sailor Senshi were bathed in pink light; the lack of immediate damage served as proof that Sailor Moon was indeed using her attack to heal as she last had against the Phages. The shadowy forms let out a second high-pitched, animalistic shriek and disintegrated, falling apart in a fine cloud of ash. Uranus and Neptune collapsed to the stone; they were both covered in sweat and gasping for breath.

Jupiter folded her arms across her chest. "So...what? The Revenant Knight made them do it?" She didn't sound convinced.

"No," Pluto said quietly. "That is what hurts the most."

Sailor Moon stepped forward. "Are you alright?" Her voice was still flat; Mars couldn't remember the last time she'd been so cold.

"I..." Uranus looked up, and Mars was surprised to find tears in her eyes. "I'm alright, now." She swallowed visibly and turned her gaze to Sailor Moon. "Princess...Usagi...I-"

"Wait." Moon stepped closer, and knelt before Neptune. "And you?"

"I am...alive." She sounded utterly defeated.

"Good." Moon backed up and let out a weary sigh. "I can't believe we're back here again." She let her Tiare fade away and folded her arms across her chest. "I'm disappointed. Disappointed and hurt. This is the second time you've broken my trust...and the second time you've turned on your fellow Senshi."

Mars was surprised at her level of calm. _Usually, Usagi would be super emotional at this stage...but she's not. She's almost...regal. _That prompted a small smile, despite the situation._ She really is growing up, even with the occasional step backwards along the way. _She caught sight of Tuxedo Kamen dropping to the stone behind Justice. _Better late than never, I suppose. _He and Justice exchanged quiet words. _Perhaps he's asking what's going on_, she thought.

Moon returned her gaze to Uranus. "You wanted to speak, Haruka. I'll hear you now."

"I..." Uranus bowed her head. "I have no defence for my actions. When he - the Revenant Knight, I mean - when he first appeared to us...I was sceptical. But somehow, despite my misgivings, I started to listen. His words began to make sense, and, I..." She sighed. "I was afraid. Afraid of losing Michiru and afraid of failing as a Sailor Senshi." She let out a low, bitter laugh. "That seems rather ironic now, after what we just did..."

"You blame the Revenant Knight?" Saturn asked cautiously.

"No." Uranus shook her head adamantly. "I blame myself. In truth, now that my head's clear...I can see that the resentment was always there. Bubbling away beneath the surface." She glanced over at Neptune; the aqua-haired Senshi was just staring at the ground. "It was ours to begin with. He didn't create it. It's been there for a long time...dating all the way back to the Silver Millennium."

"Explain," Moon said quietly.

"The Sailor Senshi of the Outer Solar System were always different from the rest," Uranus began. "We were practically exiled for our duty; banished to the outskirts of the solar system while the Guardian Senshi lived in the palace with you. They got to attend balls...while we sat in the cold." She sighed. "Even now, in _this _life...it feels the same." Her eyes came up to lock on the shrine maiden. "You were right before, Rei. You seem to balance your normal, everyday lives with your duties as Sailor Senshi in ways we can only dream of. Maybe we were alone too long...I think we forgot that Haruka and Michiru are real people too." She held up her hand as Jupiter began to speak. "But that's our burden to bear...and it doesn't excuse what we did. Nor does that bastard's presence in our heads."

Moon nodded. "Very well. And you, Michiru? Will you speak in your own defence?"

"I am...devastated by what I allowed myself to do." She glanced around at everyone else, tears shimmering in her eyes. "I see it now. You _did _forgive us." Her eyes found Pluto and Saturn. "Even you two, who we had no reason to expect forgiveness from. But I think, perhaps, we couldn't forgive ourselves...and _that_ is why we stayed away." Neptune sighed as she looked at her love. "I love Haruka with all my being. The thought of losing her terrifies me. But Justice was right. It's dangerous. I'm beholden to _two_ masters; my duty, and my love for Haruka...and there are times when the two will come into conflict." She stared back at the ground. "All of this, today...it was caused by my fear. The Revenant Knight saw it inside me, and he used it to play me for a fool. I believed his lies willingly...and I am disgraced."

Her uniform faded in a mass of glowing ribbons, leaving Michiru herself kneeling before them; she placed her transformation wand on the stone before her. "I...I _can't _be Sailor Neptune anymore. Not until I'm able to separate my love from my duty." She rose to her feet. "I'm so sorry, Princess. I've failed you...and myself." She rushed off, heading for the shrine steps.

Sailor Moon dropped into a crouch and picked up her wand, studying it silently for several seconds before returning to her feet. She glanced over at Uranus, and sighed. "And you?"

Uranus hesitated. "I…would remain. If you'll still have me." She glanced around at the others. "But...I understand if you won't."

"Are we sure we _want _her around?" Jupiter muttered. "Look at Mars; they really did a number on her face."

Mars rolled her eyes. "It's not just my face that hurts, Mako."

Moon folded her arms across her chest again, Neptune's wand still in her grip. "Twice now you have shown a willingness to act against your fellow Sailor Senshi, Haruka. For questionable gains."

Uranus bowed her head in silence.

Justice spoke up. "_Princess_. Might I offer my council?"

A faint smile formed on the blonde's lips. "Of course..._Sir _Justice."

"Oh, don't start that," he said with a scowl. "It's true that those two and I haven't exactly gotten along since my arrival in Tokyo. Haruka said she didn't like Guardian Knights, even in the Silver Millennium. She found us all 'arrogant morons with self-inflated egos'. For my part, I found her and Neptune far too willing to 'do what must be done'…just like today." He reached up to scratch at his chin. "However...if anyone can sympathise with, and even _understand_ their situation...it's me."

Moon frowned. "How so?"

"I let your mother down, remember? I lost faith in the Moon Kingdom, I lost faith in her, and I ran away...burying myself in my love for Mina. I became far too concerned with what she would think. I feared losing her." He turned to face Uranus. "That's the problem with that kind of love; it becomes an obsession. You lose sight of everything else around you; suddenly you can justify almost anything…even choices you'd never have been able to make before." He returned his gaze to Moon, and clasped his hands before him. "I would ask that you give them one more chance...as your mother gave _me_ one."

The blonde nodded slowly. "Thank you." She reached up to rub at her temple slowly. "Does anyone else have anything to add?"

Jupiter shrugged. "You know how I feel. But it's not my decision this time, Usagi."

"I think forgiveness is a big part of who we are," Mercury said quietly. "_If _they're genuine."

Moon nodded. "I think Minako would agree with you, too." She glanced over at Mars. "Rei? You're the one they attacked. What do _you_ think?"

Mars looked down at Uranus for several long seconds before she replied. "Well, I'm not exactly going to be their biggest fan for the foreseeable future, but...Corey makes a good point." She nodded slowly. "Give them one last chance to make things right."

Sailor Moon actually seemed surprised as she turned to Pluto and Saturn. "And you two?"

"I believe they are sincere," Pluto replied. "I share your disappointment, Princess…but I think they have been suitably shocked this time."

"Oh, yes…" Uranus murmured.

The Guardian of Time sighed. "It may be trying in the weeks to come…but I would agree with the majority; give them one last chance."

Saturn stared impassively down at Uranus for a long time without speaking. "Sailor Saturn wants them to die."

"What?" Moon whispered. "Hotaru-"

"She's whispering in my head, even now; she says they _must _die for their crimes." There was a noticeable strain on her face. "But _I _am in control. Not her. And _I_ think…" A small smile formed on her lips. "I think they're Haruka-papa...and Michiru-mama…and I love them. Even when they make mistakes." The Silence Glaive lowered slowly. "Give them one more chance, Princess. Please."

Sailor Moon nodded slowly, and finally turned back to Uranus. "Well, you've heard what everyone else thinks. But _I _am the one who must decide." She let out a heavy sigh. "Oh, Haruka...I used to be so trusting. The last time this happened, I forgave you almost instantly." Her expression darkened. "You've managed to harden my heart...and I don't like that. I feel like a complete fool!"

Uranus nodded mutely.

"The majority of your fellow Senshi think you deserve one more chance. Even the man you were fighting when I arrived thinks I should have you back." Moon dropped into a crouch before her. "I know _exactly_ how convincing our enemy can be; I experienced his manipulation first-hand, and _that_ is why I can consider overlooking this betrayal. However, the Revenant Knight's scheming has exposed a deeper problem; this resentment you bear towards the others _cannot_ be allowed to continue if you are to remain with us."

"Usagi-"

"Do _not_ mistake my forgiveness as weakness," Moon said firmly. "You and Michiru must be with us completely, or not at all. I don't want to hear about Inner Senshi, or Guardian Senshi, or even the Sailor Senshi of the Outer Solar System anymore. We are _all _Sailor Senshi _together_. You must be willing to accept that and do your part to close this rift that has risen up between us. If you are unwilling or unable to do so...then we have no further need of your help." Her eyes flashed determinedly. "I will _not_ continue looking over my shoulder, and I will not ask my friends to do so either."

Her voice softened. "My mother told me I would have to learn to make tough choices...and it seems this is the first." She rose to her feet. "Sailor Uranus. If you wish to join us, then _join_ us. If not? Hand over your transformation wand as Michiru has…and walk away." She held up her hand as Uranus began to speak. "I don't want an answer now. Think on this carefully, and let me know when you're sure." She paused. "There will be no third chance, Haruka; am I understood?"

"Yes, Princess. I…I will consider your words." The taller blonde stood gingerly and turned away.

"Wait." Moon stepped forward, and handed her Neptune's wand. "Maybe you should hold on to this. Make sure Michiru understands the same offer applies to her...should she wish it."

Uranus detransformed in a flash of ribbons and light. "I will."

"Good." Moon turned her back. "You can go now."

Haruka nodded mutely, but paused by Justice on her way out. "I'm glad you were here to kick our asses...and stop us from doing any more damage."

She disappeared down the shrine steps; Mars watched her go and sighed. "I guess I'd better go find Grandpa and tell him the crazy girls in short skirts are done tearing up the shrine."

Moon nodded…and let out a choked sob as a lone tear slid down her cheek.

"Hey...it's okay." Mars quickly wrapped her up in a tight hug. "It's over now. You did great. It was very inspiring!"

Mercury joined the hug. "Regal, even."

"I got goose bumps," Jupiter agreed, adding her own support along with her embrace.

Justice remained at a distance, but he smiled faintly. "Your mother would be proud."

Tuxedo Kamen placed his hand on her shoulder. "I know I am."

Sailor Mars felt Moon's arms come up around her and tightened her embrace in return. "I think Crystal Tokyo is going to be just fine in your care, Usagi. Just fine."

* * *

AN: That turned into one massive chapter, but I didn't feel right splitting it. Hopefully nobody's too disappointed, but I just couldn't kill off Neptune and Uranus; I let Usagi decide what was going to happen to them as I wrote her lines, so if you have any complaints, talk to her, haha! They have been taken down a peg, though...and the reasons for their distance and disdain for the Guardian Senshi are hopefully clearer. The Revenant Knight can't control you, but he _can_ nudge you towards actions you may not have taken on your own. Don't feel sorry for Neptune and Uranus, though - they are still very much responsible.

Poor Minako got one mention in this entire chapter...I'll have to do something about that next time, haha. Thanks everyone, back with more soon!


	10. Into The Fire

"I still can't believe they attacked Rei," Mamoru admitted.

Usagi nodded idly and snuggled tighter against his chest. They sat on his couch; after all the drama with Haruka and Michiru, she just wasn't ready to go home.

He planted a kiss on the top of her head, right between her buns. "You handled them well, though."

"Thanks…" It was all she could muster; she was just so drained.

A comfortable silence followed as Usagi let herself relax against him. She closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of his hand as he slowly stroked her side, from her hip to her ribs and back again. How many times had they sat like this in the last five years? So many that she couldn't remember, clearly.

"I just couldn't condemn them completely," she said. "They were scared, acting out of fear at losing the person they love most. I can sympathise with that, even if I can't accept it. The thought of losing you is..."

"I've feared the same...but they key difference is _you_ wouldn't be able to turn on the other people you care about, even to save me. That's one of the things I love the most about you."

_He loves me_, she thought. _I know that. So why are we still in exactly the same place we were five years ago? _She knew it was a bad idea…but she had to ask anyway. "Hey, Mamo-chan? When are you going to ask me to marry you?"

He stiffened beneath her. "Uh, well...I was thinking..." He trailed off. "Are you hungry? You must be hungry. Why don't we get some dinner-"

Usagi sat up slowly and looked into his eyes. "Mamoru, when are we going to get married?"

"Usako…" He reached up to rub the back of his head, avoiding eye contact. "It's...it's complicated."

"No, it's not," she said, frowning back at him. "It's a very simple question. When are you going to propose to me?"

"I don't really know." Mamoru sighed and shook his head. "Usako, why bring this up now?"

"Why not?" The blonde felt her frustration mounting. "I love you, Mamoru!"

"And I love you!" His hand reached for hers but she jerked it away. "Usagi, I-"

"You told my parents we'd be married as soon as I was old enough!" She moved right out of reach, huddling up against the far side of the couch. "Was that just a lie to keep them off your back?"

"Of course not!" he protested. "But plans change. We're not ready-"

"You may not be, but _I've_ been ready for a year now!"

There was a little fire in his voice. "Why are you getting angry? I thought we were happy? I am!"

"I just want a sign that our relationship is actually moving forward!"

He rubbed his face wearily. "Usagi, I've only _just_ started working at the hospital and you're still at university! The timing isn't right-"

"Well, why haven't you at least asked me to move in with you?" she demanded. It had been a mistake to begin this conversation; she knew that now. Unfortunately, she was in too deep to back out. She wanted an answer regardless.

He sighed again. "Your father would never agree to that."

"He'd get over it! I'm nineteen, Mamoru...I can live wherever I want! The point is that _you _haven't even brought it up."

Her boyfriend just stared at the wall and remained quiet.

Usagi slid off the couch and onto her feet. "We've been together for five _years_, but every year just feels like a repeat of the last. I'm not some stupid little girl who needs to be protected from the world, Mamoru!" She let her voice soften. "I'm an _adult, _and I can make my own decisions. I'm more than ready to move forward with you. Why are you holding back?"

Yet again, her only answer was silence.

"Well, that's just great," she said, shaking her head. "You won't even have an adult conversation with me!" She turned and stomped over to the door, searching for her shoes.

Mamoru rose from the couch. "Usagi..."

"Don't talk to me," she snapped, as she put them on. "I'm just...I'm so mad at you right now!" The blonde bent and retrieved her bag, before slipping through the door and slamming it shut behind her. _Jerk!_

* * *

Minako sat up and swung her legs out of bed as she stretched carefully. Her back protested for just a moment before relaxing; it had finally healed to the point where it didn't hurt all the time. She glanced through her window and was pleasantly surprised to see a beautiful autumn day_. _A quick look to the foot of the bed confirmed Artemis' presence as well. He was in his usual position, curled up in a ball pretending to sleep. _I wonder if he's done being an ass, _she wondered._ Probably not._

Her phone beeped, signalling a calendar reminder. "Oh, right! I've got another audition today." She stifled a sudden yawn. "I hope it's a little less embarrassing than the last one...though the tampon jingle wasn't so bad in the end, I guess."

"Hmm." Artemis's non-committal reply was pretty much what she'd expected.

"Aww…are you still grumpy with me?" She reached out to tickle his tummy, and he shifted quickly, moving out of reach. "Oh, come on, Arty! Quit being a jerk. I haven't done anything wrong!"

He stubbornly refused to talk, instead curling up into another ball and facing the wall.

Minako let out an exasperated sigh. "There's gotta be something I can do to cheer you up, right?" She leaned in closer. "How about a tummy rub? A scratch behind your ear? Or a rub under your chin? You always love those!"

Nope. Artemis wasn't taking the bait.

"Okay...what about a fresh fish from the market?"

He didn't move - still nothing.

She folded her arms across her chest. "I don't even know why you're mad!"

"Mina…"

"I'm nineteen-years-old and I'm in a committed relationship. That means I'm going to have _sex_." She noted his awkward twitch at 'sex' and shook her head. "We had this same talk just a couple of weeks ago, Artemis. You _said_ you were ready to let go. You _said _I could make my own decisions!"

He didn't turn around. "It's just…more difficult to adjust to than I thought. Everything was fine, until I knew you were doing..._that_. You were thirteen not that long ago!"

"No, I wasn't," she said gently. "That was six years ago." She reached out hesitantly to give him a gentle scratch behind his ear; this time, he didn't resist. "How about you try and remember that you're supposed to be my friend? You should be happy that I'm happy."

She saw his ears flatten slightly; that was a good sign.

"Maybe you could talk to dad about it? He seems to be coping alright." She hesitated. "Now, at least." _Come to think of it_, she thought, _h__e _did_ want to kill Corey at first._

Artemis nodded faintly. "I'm a silly old cat, I know."

"Yes, you are...but I still love you." She leaned down and kissed the top of his head. "Now, are you ready to stop being so moody? I've got to stay positive for my audition later!"

He smiled. "Alright. What are you singing about today?"

"Lingerie."

Artemis blinked. "Lingerie?"

Minako nodded idly as she checked her email. "_Sexy _lingerie, apparently."

He cleared his throat nervously. "You're not, uh…you don't have to _wear _the lingerie, do you?"

"Oh, no, of course not." Her finger tapped against her cheek thoughtfully. "At least...I don't think so. I'm there to sing, not to model." She considered it for a few more seconds. "I'm sure it'll be fine! If they _do_ want me to wear it, I'll just…well…" A nervous laugh followed as she waved her hands about frantically. "Oh, no! No, no, no! I couldn't!"

Artemis let out a heavy sigh and shook his head. "That decision took longer than it should have..."

"Quiet, you!"

* * *

Usagi stared morosely into her cup of tea, watching as wisps of steam curled up into the air; even the Fruit Parlour wasn't enough to lift her spirits. She was still thinking about Mamoru and their fight. She had been all day. They hadn't spoken since she'd stormed out of his apartment the night before. Usagi sighed heavily. _I let myself get far too angry, and I pushed him too hard. When he stopped responding, it only made things worse. I haven't stormed off like that in years. Why did I have to open my big mouth at all? Why didn't I just listen to myself and keep quiet? _

Chibiusa nudged her. "Your tea will go cold if you just keep staring at it."

Usagi barely even heard the girl. "Mm-hmm."

"Everything will work out fine. You guys love each other!"

"Uh-huh." She couldn't even muster enough energy for a full sentence.

Chibiusa's finger tapped against the table impatiently. "Well, you obviously _don't_ break up. I mean...I'm still here."

That snapped her out of it. "Don't even joke about that, Chibiusa. It's _not_ funny."

"Well _someone_ has to try and cheer you up!" The younger girl sighed and glanced at the third cup on the table. "Where is Minako anyway? Her tea will go cold too!"

Usagi slid her phone across the table, Minako's message displayed on the screen. "Her audition ran late. She shouldn't be much longer."

Right on cue – almost scarily so – Minako sped through the doors and slid gracefully into the booth beside Chibiusa. She smiled brilliantly even as she fought to catch her breath. "I'm _so _sorry I'm late, girls! I got the gig, but they tried to get me to _wear _the lingerie after all, and I was like no, that's not happening, because I'm a singer, not a model - even if I _was _secretly a little flattered - but they didn't want to take no for an answer so I had to really push back hard on it and-" She stopped abruptly and sucked in a huge lungful of air. "Usagi? What's the matter? You seem a little down."

Chibiusa shrugged. "She had a fight with Mamoru last night."

"Oh, no!" Minako leaned across the table with concern. "Really?"

Usagi shot the younger girl a dirty look. "I can answer for myself, you know."

Minako smiled gently. "Wanna talk about it? The Goddess of Love hasn't doled out any relationship advice for a while now..."

"She wants him to propose," Chibiusa continued, "but he won't. So they had a big fight and now she's all sad because she thinks he's mad at her."

"Chibiusa!" Usagi snapped.

"Right, right…sorry."

"Okay, Usagi," Minako said softly. "Tell me what happened."

Usagi sighed and proceeded to recount her argument with Mamoru blow by blow. Her admittedly cranky mood, through to his disinterest in discussing it, and finally ending with her storming out.

The energetic blonde opposite her swigged about half her tea in one gulp and nodded sagely. "I see. What's _really _bothering you here? Is it just the lack of a proposal? Or is it something else?"

"It's…" Usagi hesitated. "It just feels like our relationship hasn't progressed since it began. I mean, sure, now I stay over some nights and we…" Her eyes darted to Chibiusa for a brief moment. "Well, _you _know what I mean, right?"

"Of course! You make lo…" Minako trailed off as she also looked at Chibiusa. "Lots of meals in his kitchen!"

Usagi rolled her eyes at her exaggerated wink, but nodded. "Sure. Let's go with that."

Chibiusa's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What's with the wink?"

Both blondes answered in a hurry. "That's not important!"

"Anyway," Usagi continued, "It feels like our relationship is stuck, you know? I can't help but feel that Mamoru still sees me as this naive little fourteen-year-old girl who needs to be protected."

Minako made a rude noise. "He sounds just like Artemis."

"Huh?"

"Oh, uh, nothing!" Minako reached up to toy absently with her bangs. "Out of curiosity, did you tell Mamoru any of this?"

Usagi stared down at the table. "Well, no…not exactly."

Minako smiled across the table at her. "Talk to him, Usagi. Tell him how you feel. He's not a mind reader, despite how much we might want our guys to be psychic." She hesitated. "At the same time, maybe you could try to see things from his point of view? He _has_ just started working at the hospital, and you're still at university. Maybe you two could...work out a compromise?"

Chibiusa nodded. "That sounds like good advice to me."

"Compromise?" Usagi asked, frowning. "Since when do you preach _compromise_, Minako? I thought you'd understand wanting to get married better than anyone. You've always been crazy about love and romance!"

Minako laughed quietly and shrugged. "Maybe I was…once upon a time. But now that I'm actually in a relationship, and I have my memories of Corval and I back? I don't know...I guess marriage just doesn't seem so important anymore."

Usagi's expression resembled someone who'd just bitten into a lemon.

"Don't get me wrong; I do want to marry Corey someday. But it's just a piece of paper, Usagi. It doesn't change anything." She leaned across the table once more and smiled faintly. "You love Mamoru and he loves you. Isn't knowing that enough?"

Usagi blinked a few times. "Wow…your relationship advice is a lot better than it used to be."

Minako's smile dropped into a pout. "I'll take that as the compliment I'm sure it was intended as..."

"I don't think she meant it as-" Chibiusa squealed as Usagi kicked her under the table. "Hey!"

Minako reached out and squeezed Usagi's hand. "As for the rest? Mamoru has never been able to stay mad at you. Worst case, just push up your boobs and use my patented Sexy Pout of Doom; he'll forgive you in a heartbeat!"

"That's more like the advice I was expecting," Usagi muttered.

"Hey, it works on Corey…"

There was a sudden crash from downstairs; the all-too familiar sound of shattering glass, and panicked screams weren't far behind. Clearly, something was wrong.

Chibiusa rushed to the window. "Uh-oh. It's that jester again!"

"Oh, he picked the wrong day!" Usagi's hands were already clenching into fists. "I'm gonna feed him his own hat!"

Minako grinned. "Looks like Sailor Venus finally gets to meet the Trickster, huh?"

Usagi cringed. "I'm not so sure you should-"

"I'm fine, Usagi. Really. My back feels a hundred percent better. I'm good to go!"

"The communicators aren't working again," Chibiusa called. "I can't reach anyone!"

Usagi sighed and nodded slowly. "Alright. Just…please be careful."

"Oh, Usagi, aren't I always?" Minako leapt to her feet. "Now, let's go!"

* * *

The Crown Arcade was a mess; the lights flickered ominously and unconscious people littered the floor, several children among them. Manic laughter echoed off the walls as Sailor Venus stepped cautiously towards the games.

"Hmm…" She didn't recognise the voice, but his words were familiar; they'd been repeated by Chibi Moon at their last meeting. "You may just do…the Tragic Carnival is in need of new faces…"

"Be careful, Venus," Moon whispered. "He's a lot stronger than he looks."

She nodded as she rounded the reliable old Sailor V game. There he was; Avan the Trickster. The blue-skinned jester was crouched over a young boy no older than nine, slowly drawing the energy from his body. White, luminescent wisps fluttered from the boy's chest and into the palm of his hand.

"I haven't been able to do this for a while," Venus said quietly. She took a deep breath and leapt forward to strike a pose. "Hold it right there!"

"Oh, my...what a shock." The jester turned slowly and rolled his eyes. "_Another_ Sailor Senshi."

"How dare you attack this sacred house of video games? The arcade is a place of fun and relaxation for many hard-working students - this beautiful young university student among them! It is _not_ your own personal all-you-can-steal energy buffet!"

The Trickster looked down to his wrist at a non-existent watch. "Look, can we hurry this along?"

"Hey!" Venus stabbed her finger towards him. "I've been out of action for weeks now and I've been looking forward to this the whole time! Interrupt me again, jerk, and I'll shove your head right up your own butt, hat and all!"

Avan actually recoiled in apparent fright and shut his mouth.

"Now…" She tossed her hair and coughed politely into her hand. "I am the beautiful Agent of Love and Beauty, Sailor Venus! In the name of Love – and _manners_ \- I will punish you!"

"Did you really have to throw in _two_ references to how beautiful you are?" Moon muttered.

Chibi Moon nodded. "It does seem a little egotistical."

Venus turned an angry glare on them. "Hey, who's side are you two on?!" Her finger came up to point at Avan. "Now, jester, prepare to-"

"Moon Tiara Action!" Chibi Moon hurled a glowing disc forward at their opponent.

"Hey!" Venus protested. "I wasn't done!"

"You're done," Moon said gently, rolling her eyes as she turned to Chibi Moon. "And you! Which one of my attacks are you going to steal next, huh?"

"I'm technically Sailor Moon too!" Chibi Moon countered. "It makes perfect sense for me to use the same attacks you did!"

Moon leaned in closer. "Well, I don't like it!"

"Um, excuse me?" The Trickster was holding Chibi Moon's tiara between his thumb and forefinger with a somewhat confused expression on his face. "Are we going to fight now, or…?"

"Right!" Moon snapped. "Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss!" She unleashed a massive blast from her Tiare that appeared to obliterate the Trickster entirely…along with most of the arcade around him.

"Sailor Moon!" Venus dove in front of her, waving her arms frantically. "What the heck are you doing?! I understand you're kinda cranky but you need to be more careful!"

Moon peered around her friend and froze; she'd blown a hole clear through the far wall and destroyed several game machines along the way. "Oops…"

Chibi Moon hefted the Pink Moon Stick. "He stole my Tiara again!"

Moon glared down at her. "Well, you stole it from _me _so it seems only fitting!"

Venus reached up to massage her suddenly sore temples. "How am I the most focused one here?"

Loud, mocking laugher trickled in through the hole in the wall. "You missed, Sailor Moon!"

"Oh, he's so dusted!" Moon stomped forward, disappearing through the hole and out into the street.

Chibi Moon went after her eagerly. "I'm gonna get my Tiara back!"

"Sailor Moon, wait!" Venus crouched to pick up the little boy Avan had been draining, and followed along quickly behind her. "It could be a trap!"

The Trickster was waiting for them, holding his sceptre in his hands. The little carved wooden face was grinning. "Yes, that's it…come out here. I'd like to introduce you to some friends of mine!"

"Friends?" Chibi Moon repeated. "I don't like the sound of that."

Venus dashed across the street, leaping over a now-terrified crowd of pedestrians to place the boy safely on a bus stop bench - he was still breathing, thankfully. _Now, it's time to teach this Trickster a lesson!_

He spread his arms wide. "Meet Taki and Tika; the amazing, high-flying Trapeze Twins!"

Sailor Moon glanced around and frowned. "I don't see any-" She was suddenly snatched up into the air by a black-suited creature on a trapeze. Chibi Moon found herself in a similar predicament a moment later.

"Hey!" Moon cried. "Put me down!"

Venus rushed towards them but found her path blocked by Avan. She raised her right arm, sighting along its length and down her index finger. "Crescent Beam!" The golden blast lanced out and struck him right in the chest. Her initial excitement at a perfect shot faded quickly as he laughed in return; it didn't even seem to have fazed him.

"That almost tickled," he said mockingly, flashing her a wide, toothy grin. "My turn!" Avan hurled a small, purple object towards her. "Catch!"

Venus remembered Chibi Moon mentioning this too and leapt out of the way; the balloon exploded in a cloud of white smoke as it struck the asphalt.

"Aww." He sounded disappointed. "You're no fun at all!"

Sailor Moon was still caught in her attacker's grip, being dragged through the air under the trapeze. She reached up and slammed her Tiare into the side of its head, repeating the move again a second later. It dropped her and she plummeted towards the earth. Her wings flared apart a little – still a neat trick every time Venus saw it – and Moon dropped gracefully to the ground. At least, as gracefully as Usagi could manage; she _did_ stumble on her landing.

Chibi Moon struggled against her own Trapeze Twin, reaching back into her subspace pocket for the Pink Moon Stick. The pink-haired Senshi held her weapon up towards its face. "Pink Sugar Heart Attack!" The familiar pink energy hearts began blasting out into the creature's face; it looked to be more irritated than anything, and tossed her forward almost casually. Chibi Moon tumbled head over heels until she crashed through the Fruit Parlour's window.

"Chibi Moon!" Sailor Moon rushed towards the arcade again but cried out in pain as the second Trapeze Twin swung past her; it moved so fast it was almost a blur. A thin red line opened up across the small of her back, and blood began seeping into her uniform.

"Look out!" Venus cried. "It's coming back!" She raised her arm again and breathed out as she steadied her aim. It was an easy shot, and this bad guy wouldn't hurt Sailor Moon again. "Crescent Beam!"

Her attack punched right through the mask over its face and out the back of its head; the creature tumbled from its trapeze and struck the ground with a sickening crunch. Venus glanced down at her finger in surprise; her Crescent Beam wasn't normally that strong. _Can they really be that weak?_

"Thanks, Venus!" Moon continued on undaunted, leaping up through the same window Chibi Moon had crashed through. Venus turned around slowly; that left her with one more of the Trapeze Twins to contend with. _And the Trickster himself_, she thought.

"Uh-oh!" He cackled again. "It seems your friends have abandoned you. You're all alone now!"

"That's fine," she said calmly. "I've been on my own before. It doesn't frighten me."

She saw the little face on his sceptre change to an angry snarl. "It should…_blondie_!"

"Blondie?!" she repeated, slightly incredulous. "Seriously? That's the best you can come up with? What a weak insult! It shows a genuine lack of forethought _and_ creativity."

"My, you _are _an interesting one." The Trickster's grin widened. "I'm going to enjoy this."

Venus smirked. "We'll see who enjoys what!" She caught movement out of the corner of her eye, and turned quickly, her leg already moving. "Sailor V Kick!"

Her foot caught the approaching 'Taki' – or perhaps it was 'Tika' – right under its chin, lifting it up and off its trapeze. It flipped through the air in a full three-sixty spin before landing on its face. "Venus Love Me Chain!" The familiar golden links appeared around her body, uncoiling and following her hand forward to lash out at Avan's face.

He snatched it out of the air and she let go immediately, letting it disperse into nothingness again; Venus had learned from Terror _and _Crimson's rather painful lessons. There was a problem, though; the Trickster was gone. She stared at the empty space before her; she'd only taken her eyes off for him for a moment. "Where-"

Something hit her spine, _hard__. _Pain exploded through her lower back and Venus fell to her knees, biting down on her lip hard to keep from screaming.

An amused chuckle followed; somehow, Avan had gotten behind her. His sceptre slammed into her spine a second time. "Aw, poor Venus...is your back still healing?"

She bit down on her lip again as he slammed his sceptre into her spine for the third time. "How...how do _you_ know about that?!"

Avan leaned in close, his grotesquely stretched grin revealing crooked, yellow teeth. "My master may not approve…but I'll let you in on a little secret." He ran his tongue over his lips. "I know everything about you..._Minako_."

The blonde froze as a cold ball of dread formed in her stomach. He knew her name...and he knew about her back._ Does that mean he knows about mother and dad? And Artemis? My friends? Corey? Oh, god...not again!_

"Hey, ugly! Over here!" She turned with the Trickster to see Sailors Mercury, Mars and Jupiter drop down to the street.

Jupiter cocked back her arm. "Sparkling Wide Pressure!"

The ball of lightning crashed into the Trickster's chest, knocking him to the ground; he rolled through the fall and sprang up off his hands, performing a back-flip to land on his feet again. "I'm sensing a _spark _between us, my dear! But, oh my, my good friend Taki wants to _cut in_!"

A black-and-blue blur swung past Jupiter and she grunted in pain as its blade sliced into her stomach. It started swinging back towards her again, light gleaming off the razor-sharp dagger in its hand.

"Watch out, Jupiter!" Venus called.

She needn't have worried; her friend swung her foot around at the last minute in a roundhouse kick that literally broke the creature's face. It hit the asphalt and didn't move again. Sailor Moon chose that moment to step out of the arcade, carrying a dazed Chibi Moon, and Avan went right for her. Her eyes flashed angrily as her leg flew forward almost automatically.

"Sailor Moon Kick!"

Her boot slammed into his face, sending him tumbling to the street. He took a little longer to get up this time; his smile now revealed several broken and missing teeth...that were already healing.

A brilliant crescent light blast slammed into him from the side, tearing open a wide gash in his chest. Justice dropped down between them, keeping himself between the Trickster and Sailor Moon.

"Well if it isn't my old friend, Mister Shiny! Still packing that desert-dry sense of humour?" A flaming arrow lodged in his chest as Mars unleashed her own attack, and he fell to his knees slowly as his body was consumed in fire.

Justice reappeared beside Venus, extending his hand to her. "Are you alright?"

She nodded quickly as she took it; his concern was clear. "I'll survive...though I might ask you for a massage later."

His quiet laugh was almost a relief. "I don't see that being a problem."

She let him help her up, wincing again. _There goes two weeks of recovery time down the drain_.

Avan giggled, despite his entire body being wrapped in flames. He lurched to his feet. "My, oh, my...I seem to have gotten a little _hot _under the collar..." His legs teetered as he wobbled back and forth before the arcade's front door.

"Have another then!" Mars snapped. "Mars Flame Sniper!"

The flaming arrow lashed out towards him; at the last second, he literally bent over backwards like he was performing the limbo. Mars' attack disappeared through the door behind him...and the arcade exploded. Moon was sent flying by the force of the blast, landing awkwardly on the street beside Chibi Moon.

Venus' hands flew to her mouth. "Oh, god, there are still people inside!"

She felt Justice's comforting presence disappear as he blinked away. Sailor Moon scrambled to her feet, her expression echoing Venus' own horror as she immediately dove through the shattered windows and into the raging inferno.

Mercury and Jupiter seemed at a loss; they stood before the Trickster, eyes moving back and forth from him to the blaze and back again.

The Trickster held his stomach as he laughed. "Oh, dear! Sailor Mars made a booboo!"

She didn't respond; her unblinking eyes were locked on the inferno behind him.

A flaming figure stumbled out of the arcade and collapsed onto the sidewalk; Avan pointed his finger and laughed before raising his hand in a mock salute. "There's my entertainment for the day! Tootles!" The evil jester disappeared in a flash of dark light.

Mercury rushed over. "Sabao Spray Freezing!" The cooling fog extinguished the flames, revealing a badly-burned man in his mid-twenties – he wasn't moving.

Venus stared at Mars worriedly. Her fellow Senshi hadn't moved an inch; she was still staring at the burning arcade. The blonde limped over, cautiously reaching out towards her. "Mars?"

"...couldn't have...it doesn't explode like that...it never has…it can't...this isn't possible...it just isn't possible..."

Venus placed her hand gently on her friend's shoulder and have her a gentle shake. "Mars?" It was no use; she wasn't hearing her.

There was another flash of light - this one gold - and Justice reappeared with a singed child under each arm. He passed them off to Mercury and Jupiter, then blinked away again. Sailor Moon leapt through the window a moment later, carrying a girl who looked about twelve. The blonde coughed as she stumbled to a safe distance, and laid her down beside the two children Justice had brought out before running back inside.

"Sailor Moon!" Mercury protested. "Be very careful!"

Justice reappeared again, carrying a young woman – her uniform identified her as an employee. He handed her off quickly to Jupiter and disappeared once more. Moon staggered out again a few seconds later, pulling another employee out. His pants were on fire, and Mercury quickly repeated her extinguishing trick. That was five people pulled out so far, but how many more were still inside?

_Be careful, Corey_, Venus thought. _That's already five teleports in about a minute. Please don't collapse in there. _Sailor Moon dropped to her knees beside the man she'd just rescued. Her face was covered in soot and she had a burnt patch around the edge of her skirt. Her eyes locked on Mars, and she forced herself to her feet and hurried over.

She shot a worried glance at Mars. "Is she...?"

Venus shook her head slowly. "The lights are on, but nobody's home. I think she's in shock." She glanced up as Justice emerged from the burning arcade; he hadn't blinked out this time. She heard Sailor Moon gasp at about the same time she did. "Oh, my god..."

He was carrying a teenage girl; most of her hair had been burned away, and painful looking burns covered her face and arms. Jupiter took her carefully, and Justice dropped to one knee.

"That's it," he managed, coughing hoarsely. "I can't reach anyone else...I can't blink anymore."

Venus forced back her own urge to be sick and glanced around at the sound of sirens. _Mars is in shock...and I don't blame her. This is a terrible thing to happen…but I refuse to accept that the Trickster's presence is a coincidence. The police will only complicate things…which means we can't stay. _

"We need to leave!" she called.

Moon looked up from Mars and frowned. "But-"

"We have to go now! We can work out how this happened later! Come on!" She leapt to the nearest rooftop - ignoring the pain in her back - and glanced down at the street. A crowd was beginning to form; that meant cameras. _And that doesn't seem like a good thing right now_. Jupiter helped Justice to his feet and headed for Mars, gently guiding her along. The shrine maiden didn't speak, but she didn't protest either. Mercury followed suit as Sailor Moon grabbed Chibi Moon and made the jump up last.

Venus stayed back to look over the raging inferno that had been the Crown Arcade one last time. _How could this have happened?_

* * *

AN: The plot thickens. Avan claims to know everything about Sailor Venus, and the Crown Arcade has been destroyed...along with several innocent people. Things don't look good for our heroes, do they? The main plot is really starting to move along now - I'm going to try and keep things a little more focused than I did in Act Two, so there won't be so much jumping around from this point. Next up; the Senshi try to figure out how this all happened...and what everything else means. Thanks to everyone for your continued support, reviews, and messages!


	11. The Reveal

"Ow!" Usagi scowled and gripped the chair before her tightly as Ami pushed the needle through her skin yet again.

"I've already applied the skin numbing cream _twice_," Ami replied tersely. "Just hold still and let me finish."

"Great bedside manner," she grumbled. "You're not the one getting a huge needle poked through your back!"

"Oh, I've seen much bigger, believe me." She poked her a few more times before patting her on the shoulder. "Alright, you're done." She held up a mirror. "Take a look."

Usagi turned carefully; the angry red cut in her back was now a tidy line of black thread. "A great job as always, Ami. Thank you."

Her friend smiled faintly. "You're welcome. Just try not to be such a drama queen next time, okay? The cut Minako got in her side? _That _was a lot of stitches."

"Don't remind me." The other blonde was sitting on the floor with her back against the wall; she couldn't see it, but Usagi knew there was an ice-pack pressed against her spine. Minako had her eyes closed but she clearly wasn't sleeping; an occasional wince crossed her face, likely timed with pain from her back.

"I guess it was."

Ami began packing up her medical kit as Usagi slid her shirt back down and stood, giving her back an experimental stretch. The skin pulled taut around her wound but she shrugged it off. _Minako's back is a lot worse off than mine right now._

Her gaze lingered on the bathroom door. Mako was in there with Rei; she could hear her throwing up from where she stood. The brunette had been patched up first at Usagi's insistence, so she'd made it her task to keep an eye on Rei while the rest of them were taken care of. The shrine maiden had already been sick once on the way back to the shrine. Corey too, come to think of it. _His was due to 'too many blinks in too short a time' though, _she thought. _Rei...she's taking what happened at the arcade pretty hard, and I can't say I blame her. It's a terrible thing to happen...but I don't believe for a second it was her fault._

Chibiusa was resting on the bed, snoring softly. She'd taken a nasty spill through the window of the Fruit Parlour. Ami had pronounced her concussion free but she was clearly a little rattled. Truth be told the girl was starting to worry her. _When I asked her about her parents the other day - which is still a weird experience - she changed the subject. She won't say how long she's staying this time, either, almost like she isn't sure herself. _Usagi considered sitting with her but, unlike Minako, she clearly was really asleep. _I'll let her rest_. _We can always talk later._

She headed for Minako instead and slid carefully down the wall beside her, reaching out to squeeze her shoulder reassuringly.

"How's your back?" Minako murmured.

"All stitched up and good to go," Usagi replied. "How's yours?"

"Oh, not so bad. It's nothing compared to when I first broke it, anyway." Her pale blue eyes opened slowly. "Has anyone thought to check on Corey? I would, but I'm under doctor's orders to sit tight."

"Yes, you are!" Ami called. "Keep that ice-pack right where it is, Minako."

The door slid open right on cue and Corey stepped inside. He was looking much better, nowhere near as pale as when they'd first arrived.

"Hey," Usagi said with a smile. "You okay?"

Minako tilted her head up towards him. "Still feeling sick?"

"I think I'm good now." He made a face. "I feel like I've got vomit breath though."

"Oh." Minako reached back carefully and pulled a pack of mints from behind her back, holding them up towards him. "Here you go."

"You just carry mints around in your subspace pocket?" Ami asked, incredulous.

"Well, ever since Corey and I started dating, sure." She blushed faintly. "You never know when romance might strike, and who wants bad breath during a make-out session?" She began ticking off items on her fingers. "I have mints plus a make-up kit, another bow, spare house keys...oh, and my emergency bag of skittles." Minako blinked slowly at the odd looks she was receiving. "What? You guys _don't _keep anything else in there?"

Corey shrugged as he popped two mints into his mouth and returned the pack to his girlfriend. "It makes sense to me. Free storage; why wouldn't you use it?"

"Exactly!"

Usagi rose carefully to her feet, mindful of the stitches in her own back. "Here, Corey, you should be sitting with your girlfriend."

He nodded and lowered himself to the ground carefully in her place. "How's Rei doing?"

She glanced over at the bathroom door, her brow furrowing in concern. "Not so good. She was just sick again."

"I can understand that." Corey reached up to rub his face wearily. "Goddamn, what a day." His last sentence slipped out in English, and Minako nodded in agreement.

Usagi picked up 'goddamn' and 'day' and filled in the blanks. "You can say that again." There was a gentle knock on the door; she opened it to find Setsuna, Hotaru and the three cats waiting. She bent down to pick up Luna and held her tight to her chest. "I'm glad you're here, Luna."

"I'm just glad you're okay," Luna said. "All of you."

"Usagi." Setsuna nodded gently and stepped inside, stopping to glance down at Minako. "I see you're lying down on the job again, Minako?" Her smile made it clear she wasn't serious.

Minako smiled sweetly and winked back at her. "Oh, you're just cranky 'cause you missed out on scaring me today."

Setsuna actually laughed. "Indeed. I missed my chance. Even I can't walk through walls."

"Are you alright, Mina?" Artemis asked, concern creeping into his voice.

"I'll manage, Arty." The blonde flashed him a quick V-sign. "Once you've walked around with a broken back for a few hours, this is nothing."

He nuzzled her arm gently and she responded by gently stroking his fur. "I'm glad to hear it."

Corey shot Setsuna a mock salute, and then a little wave to Hotaru. "Evening, ladies."

Hotaru blushed, and half-hid behind Setsuna, but she did smile. "H-Hi, Corey."

Usagi glanced at Minako; she shot her a quick wink in return. _Yep, I'm not the only once who noticed that._

"You should probably turn on the news," Titus said quietly. "You'll want to see it…"

Ami found the remote and the television flared to life. "...rocked downtown Tokyo earlier this afternoon. The Crown Arcade and Fruit Parlour in the Juuban District was completely destroyed by fire following what is being reported by some as a 'misfire' from one of the Sailor Senshi."

"What?" Usagi snapped. "Misfire? How can they already be saying what happened with any kind of certainty?"

"They're speculating like they always do," Corey muttered. "Parasites." It seemed his opinion of the media wasn't exactly high.

The newscaster continued. "Prime Minister Hayashida made a public address just a short time ago. Here's what he had to say."

The picture cut to their new Prime Minister. He was seated behind his desk, a solemn expression on his face. "This is a terrible tragedy, and my heart goes out to the families and friends of those poor souls who lost their lives today." He leaned forward and folded his hands together. "The Sailor Senshi may have protected this country in the past...but I have long thought them dangerous. Our police and defence forces have rules that govern them; procedures they must follow, checks and balances they are held accountable to. Who do the Sailor Senshi answer to?"

His eyes bored right into Usagi from behind the screen. "Today, I ask that they answer to the people of Japan. I ask that they turn themselves in to the proper authorities, so this terrible incident can be investigated fully with complete transparency. Japan does not need vigilantes running around its streets. No, it needs order. It needs peace. And today...it needs answers. I will _not _allow this crime to go unpunished. If the Sailor Senshi will not turn themselves in, I will be forced to take further action."

The newscaster returned to the screen. "Prime Minister Hayashida would not comment further on what such 'further action' looked like, but speculation lists tough new anti-vigilantism laws as one possible option. Once again, if you're just joining us now, we-"

The television went dark. Ami tossed the remote onto the bed and sank back onto the chair behind her. "I don't believe it."

Minako glared at the TV. "They're awfully quick to declare us guilty."

"The media are always quick to judge," Setsuna pointed out. "This is nothing new."

Usagi stared blankly at the now-dim screen. _Even the Prime Minister is getting involved. This is bad._

"The whole situation makes my tail twitch," Titus murmured. "It's far too neat and tidy for my liking."

Corey nodded. "You and me both, buddy."

"Something is very wrong here," Artemis agreed.

The door slid open again quietly and Mamoru stepped into the room. Usagi took one look at him and rushed over, throwing her arms around him. His arms came up around her in return, and that was it; they made up wordlessly.

"I'm glad you're here," she said quietly, pressing her cheek against his chest and allowing his presence to soothe her anxiety.

His embrace tightened around her. "And I'm glad you're alright."

The room fell into silence, everyone still digesting the Prime Minister's words. Minako leaned over slowly to rest her head against Corey's shoulder. Hotaru stared blankly at the floor, while Setsuna cupped her chin with her hand, lost in thought. As for Ami...

"Seven people died." Everyone turned at her abrupt announcement; she looked up from her phone, her lips pressed into a thin line. "Including the man who staggered out on his own; he died en-route to the hospital."

"We only saved seven." There was clear regret in Minako's voice. "It's not enough. Not by a long shot."

"Six." Ami hesitated, and sighed quietly. "The girl. The one Corey pulled out last, she...she didn't make it to hospital either."

A brief flicker of grief crossed Corey's face before his usual mask could cover it. Usagi watched as Minako reached out and wrapped her hand around his, wordlessly comforting him. Corey never showed a lot of emotion, but this had clearly crushed him. She was glad he had Minako to help him through it.

The bathroom door flew open, slamming against its frame, and Rei stormed past Usagi on her way to the courtyard; Makoto was in close pursuit. "Rei? Where the hell are you going?!"

She didn't even slow down. "To turn myself in."

"What?" Usagi pulled away from Mamoru and went after her too. "You can't do that! What happened wasn't-"

Rei came paused in the doorway and turned around, revealing her tear-filled eyes. "I don't know how it happened, Usagi...but _I _caused that explosion. How else would you explain it? I fired that attack, I missed...and seven people died because of it. I have to atone for that. I have to make it right!"

"Rei, please!" Luna called, bounding over. "Think about this. Your Flame Sniper has _never _produced an explosion like that before! Not even in training. It couldn't possibly have been the cause!"

"Perhaps it reacted with something else?" Rei said quietly. "A gas line or some kind of oil? You can't say for sure that I didn't cause this, Luna."

"And _you _can't say for sure that you did!" Usagi gripped her shoulders, staring straight into her eyes. "Please, Rei. I understand that you're upset; we all are. But we need to investigate this first, and determine what really happened. Please think about it all first. Let's be sure before you blame yourself."

"Usagi is correct," Titus agreed. "Give me twenty-four hours, and I will uncover the truth. Then, if you still feel like throwing yourself to the wolves...you can do so."

Rei hesitated, then nodded slowly. "Alright. I suppose you're right." She sounded so weary all of a sudden.

"Come on," Usagi said gently, leading her towards the bed. "You should try to get some rest." She gently nudged Chibiusa awake to make room for Rei, and glanced back at Titus with worry in her eyes. _I hope you find something to convince Rei this wasn't her fault, Titus. I really do._

* * *

Minako glanced at Corey as they approached her front door. "You agree with me on this, right? I'm not just being crazy?"

He shook his head. "It's not crazy. No matter who or what this Trickster really is, he clearly knows enough about you to be dangerous, Minako. That puts them at risk as well."

The blonde nodded. "I'm glad we agree, then." She pushed open the door and stepped inside. "Mother? Dad? Are you home?"

"Minako!" Fumiko rushed down the stairs and wrapped her up in a tight hug. "I saw the news! Are you alright?"

"I'm...fine." In truth, her mother was crushing her already aching back...but she couldn't bring herself to break away. "Is dad home?"

"Oh, yes, he just got in." Fumiko turned towards the stairs and hollered loudly. "Yoshi! Minako's home and she brought Corey with her!" She turned back to them and smiled. "It's good to see you again, Corey. How are you?"

"It's...been a rough day."

Fumiko's face fell rather quickly. "Yes, I imagine it has. Is everything alright? The Prime Minister was on television earlier; it sounded like he was going to call in the army!"

"I'm sure it will all work out," Minako replied. Her father descended the stairs, a questioning look on his face, and she took a deep breath. "I'll get right to the point. I want you two to leave Japan. Today."

"What?" Yoshiro brow furrowed as he frowned at her. "Why on earth would we do that, Minako?"

"There's a potential problem." Minako glanced over at Corey, and he nodded reassuringly. "What happened with Sailor Fury might happen again. Our current enemy knows my name. He knows who Sailor Venus really is." Minako's worry gnawed away at her stomach as she gazed imploringly into her mother's eyes. "Please. I couldn't bear it if either of you were hurt because of me. I was thinking you could take that trip to England you've been planning a little early?"

"I can even get you there without tickets," Corey added. "It's only a quick teleport away."

"But..." Fumiko stared at Minako with concern. "Doesn't that mean that _you're _in danger too?"

She waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, I'm always in danger, mother." She refrained from shrugging; her back was still in quite a bit of pain. "The point is that I can take care of myself...but you two can't. And I can't be here all the time. So, please...I want you safe. Go to England. Try to forget about all this. Until I call you."

"Well," Yoshiro said, turning to Fumiko. "I suppose we were planning on taking that trip anyway. We haven't booked anything yet but the money is there waiting."

"I don't like this" her mother said softly.

"Please, mother."

Fumiko finally relented. "Alright. We'll go...if that's what you think is best."

Minako hugged her gently. "Thank you, mother. That's a big relief."

Fumiko smiled faintly as she returned the hug. "You could come with us." She turned to Corey. "Both of you could."

She managed her own small smile. "You know we can't do that, mother. We're needed here, now more than ever." Her smile faded. "Something terrible is coming, even worse than what we're facing now...and we're the only ones who have a chance of stopping it."

* * *

Titus approached the burnt-out remains of the Crown Arcade cautiously; his ginger fur shimmered, changing to its natural black. He wondered briefly why he even bothered with the disguise anymore. Everyone already knew who he was now, so what difference did it make what colour he was? _Corey knows me as ginger, _he decided, _and so__ does everyone else. I suppose I've_ been _ginger for about about eleven-hundred years now. __O__ld habits die hard indeed._

The police were still pouring over the ruined building. He slipped in close, passing under the police tape with ease and into the arcade itself. Titus flattened against a wall as a pair of police officers strode past. The cat moved carefully, sticking to the shadows that had lent him their name. _Easy_, he thought. _Be p__atient. You remember this._ Titus ducked behind cover wherever possible, and darted quickly through patches of light, nothing but a blur of darkness. The experience brought back memories. _It's been quite some time since I've actually gotten out in the field and done some work._

The cat pressed himself flat against a burnt-out booth as another officer approached. _Damn_, he thought. _She's right where I want to go__!_ It couldn't be helped. _This location will have to do_. He winked each eye once in rapid succession and a purple visor sprang into existence over them. _I haven't used this for a long time_. _Not since my last visit to Earth more than a thousand years ago. _It worked in a similar fashion to Sailor Mercury's own visor; they _were_ based on the same technology, after all. It immediately began feeding him information on his surroundings, highlighting points of interest and other data.

One patch of wall in particular caught his attention; it was directly adjacent to the main doors. _There's no doubt about it. T__his is the point of impact of Sailor Mars' Flame Sniper_. _The energy signature is a direct match for the readings I have on file._ He glanced up at the wall carefully._ It hit here after missing the Trickster, and produced a burn pattern fairly consistent with its usual properties; area of approximately three-to-four feet, distributed evenly around the point of impact. _His eyes narrowed behind the visor. _That __means her attack did _not _cause the explosion, just as I suspected. _That left him with another question, though. If not Mars, what _had _caused the explosion?

The officer blocking his path moved on and Titus scurried across the floor, heading for the main counter at the heart of the arcade. Sure enough, his visor led him to another strange energy reading. Behind the counter itself. He glanced about, then leapt up and over to inspect his discovery. _Hmm...this isn't any kind of Sailor Senshi magic I've ever encountered_. His eyes widened. _No, this is__...dark_ _energy!_ His heart-rate increased suddenly, ignoring his efforts to slow it. _I've seen this kind of energy pattern before, but where? I can't remember it. If only I'd been smarter, and scanned it with my visor at the time! _Even without that crucial piece of evidence, one thing was certain. _This dark energy is what caused the explosion. Judging from the decay in strength, it triggered almost immediately _after _Mars' attack entered the building, but it was completely independent of it.__ M__ars is innocent._

He listened carefully for footsteps and, hearing none, leapt back over the counter and into the shadows. The cat repeated his strange wink pattern in reverse and his visor faded away. _It's good to know it still works, regardless_. _Most importantly, I can download the data into Ami's computer. We have_ _proof...though I'm not sure who we'd show it to, besides Rei. _Titus began heading for his point of entry, but found two more police officers blocking his path. They talked quietly amongst themselves, and his ears pricked up as he heard a familiar name.

"...buddy works in the Prime Minister's protection detail. He said Hayashida was over the moon about this!"

"He did say in his public address that he considered the Sailor Senshi dangerous, but why? They've saved Tokyo a bunch of times!"

"I don't know, but my buddy? He heard him talking; Hayashida wants to take down the Senshi for this. For good."

"For good? Come on...this must have been an accident! What does he have against them, anyway?"

Titus didn't stick around to hear the rest; he was already on the move, darting around them and through the shadows as he headed for the street. That little exchange was very interesting, and provided him with his next destination. _Our_ _new Prime Minister seems very interested in the Sailor Senshi. Considering the circumstances surrounding his sudden rise to power, I think it's high time I took a closer look you...Noboru Hayashida._

* * *

Usagi leaned forward, resting on the low wall before her as she looked over the shrine's empty courtyard. She'd seen Setsuna and Hotaru off, and stayed for the fresh air. Rei was asleep, Minako had headed home with Corey, and Mamoru was keeping Chibiusa entertained. _I'm not needed in there right now_, she decided. _I can afford to spend a few minutes out here. _Despite her outwardly upbeat appearance inside, Usagi was just as distraught as everyone else. _But a queen must be strong, even in the face of terrible news or overwhelming danger. I can't afford to break down like I would have in the old days. __Everyone's looking to me in this crisis. I have to put on a brave face._

She sensed a familiar presence behind her and greeted him without turning around. "Hi, Mamo-chan."

He leaned forward on the wall beside her. "I was wondering where you'd gotten to, Usako."

"Just getting some fresh air."

His fingers clasped together over the wall; his fidgeting was uncharacteristically nervous. "Listen. I, uh...I wanted to apologise."

Usagi felt her right eyebrow rise. "Oh?"

"For last night," he said, staring down at his hands. "You were right. I should have talked to you. The way I handled things wasn't exactly...mature."

"Well…" Usagi felt her cheeks growing hot. "For my part I did get a little crazy, I guess. I knew I should stop, but I just couldn't keep my mouth from moving." She frowned abruptly. "I wonder if that's what it feels like to be Minako?"

He shuddered. "Don't get me wrong, Usako, I like Minako well enough but I'm so glad you're not her." He chuckled softly. "Corey must have the patience of a saint to date her."

Usagi giggled at his joke. "You may not have the same opinion of her after this. It took her five long years but our self-proclaimed Goddess of Love finally gave me some good advice."

"She did?"

"Uh-huh. She told me to talk to you." Usagi winked. "She said I should tell you how I feel, because no matter how much I might want you to be...you're not psychic."

Mamoru nodded solemnly. "Unfortunately not, no."

Usagi took a deep breath. "So...here goes." She reached out to take his hand. "I feel like you don't always think of me as an equal. You make decisions that affect the two of us without consulting me; just like you did when you broke up with me all those years ago to 'save me'." She shook her head slowly. "I'm nineteen now, Mamoru, and I'm your girlfriend. We should be able to talk openly and honestly about _anything. _Like adults. Even things that might make us uncomfortable."

He was silent for several long seconds, before finally nodding. "You're right," he admitted. "I think, sometimes, I _do_ forget that you've grown up, Usako...and I'm sorry." He managed a small smile. "And, look, if you still want to talk about us getting married, I-"

Usagi pressed her finger to his lips. "Let's just put a pin in that for now, okay? With everything that's happened today, it doesn't seem so important anymore." She returned his smile with one of her own. "We can figure it all out later."

He kissed her finger softly. "Alright." He leaned forward, resting his forearms on the wall, and let out a heavy sigh. "I hope Titus can figure this out. It feels a little odd, trusting him after everything he did."

Usagi nodded almost unconsciously. "I know what you mean. But Corey somehow trusts Titus...and that's good enough for me."

* * *

Titus moved cautiously through the Prime Minister's Residence, ears up as he listened for any approaching footsteps or voices. _His office should be just ahead._ _Hopefully I'll find the answers I seek in there. _Sure enough, he rounded the corner and found the door right before him. _Fairly standard swipe-card access lock. Passable, but only if I'm willing to risk detection._ His head shook unconsciously. _No. For __now, I'll play the waiting game_. The cat ducked under an end table in the corner and flattened himself against the wall as best he could.

A good twenty minutes must have gone by before anyone approached. _This is my chance. _He readied himself to move and waited for his moment. She was an aide from the look of her clothes; she carried a manila folder and, more importantly, an ID badge and swipe-card. _Easy, _he told himself. _Wait for her to enter, but not long enough for her to turn around._ She swiped her card over the handle; the lock beep and clicked, and she pushed the door open. _Now_, Titus thought, darting through the gap behind her. He caught sight of the Prime Minister and immediately ducked behind the potted plant by the door. He held there, holding his breath, waiting for any sign he'd been spotted. After twenty seconds had passed with no cries or alarms, he decided he was in the clear and allowed himself to breathe again. _So far, so good. _He peered out from his cover. The Prime Minister sat behind his desk, speaking with a man that Titus recognised as Tokyo's Superintendent General - the highest ranked police officer in the city.

"I'm positive the Diet will approve my proposals," Hayashida said. "Following that, I'll sign the arrest orders personally. Will your people be ready to move?"

"Absolutely, Mister Prime Minister."

The aide placed the folder on his desk; Hayashida glanced at her and smiled. "Thank you, Mariko." She bowed and headed for the door. "I'll have the Defence Force placed on standby, just in case. We've all seen what these Sailor Senshi are capable of, and we can't afford to take any chances."

"I'll keep you informed of any potential issues, sir." The Superintendent General bowed formally and followed the aide out of the room.

Titus' eyes narrowed slowly. _You had little to no chance of being elected Prime Minister only two short weeks ago and yet, somehow, here you are. What's going on?_

The Prime Minister leaned back in his chair and smiled. "Avan."

There was a flash of black light and Avan the Trickster appeared in the centre of the room. Titus' eyes widened again. _By Selene, Usagi was right. He looks exactly like the illustration from that old book. _His visor shimmered into existence over his eyes once again. _What are you really, _he wondered. _There is no empirical evidence to suggest Avan the Trickster ever really existed...which means you _are_ a fake! You're based off that illustration, a perfect match down to the smallest detail. You must be._

"Master." The Trickster bowed formally.

_Master? _A cold feeling of dread was beginning to form in the cat's stomach.

"You've done well, my servant." Hayashida interlocked his fingers before him, a cold smile on his lips. "The energy you gathered today has enabled the body to increase its pace. My plans are advancing far quicker than I had anticipated."

Titus' blood ran cold. _The 'body'?_ Everything began to piece itself together in his mind. _E__nergy gathering. The body. Avan the Trickster, an old story from the time of Serenity the First. The book we found was first published around the time of Serenity the Second's reign. Serenity the Second...who was murdered in a coup. _He remembered his conversation with Artemis well. _Who else would have access to that book? I'm beginning to realise that nobody did. It wasn't needed._

"The trap worked perfectly, and Sailors Mars played right into your hands. I couldn't have wished for any better."

His visor had only detected one large anomaly, but it was enough. Avan didn't exist! He didn't read as alive. He had no heartbeat. No respiratory activity. No brain activity. Titus had his answer. He knew who and what Avan really was, and that was the last piece of the puzzle. Now he knew who Noboru Hayashida was too. _There is no security breach of the Eternity Main System. He didn't need it...because he _remembers _that book _and _Avan the Trickster from his own life!_

"You're far too kind, master," Avan replied, smiling widely. "I am only capable of such greatness because you granted it to me!"

_The Revenant Knight. _The fur on his back was standing up, and wouldn't smooth down again. _Also known as Valerus, former Guardian Knight of Justice. He was _alive _when that book was first published. He was alive when the tale of Avan the Trickster became popular, probably just a child. He recreated the Trickster from his own memories of that book; that's why he's such a close match to the illustration! _

Titus realised that Hayashida had stopped talking; he was looking slowly around the room. That was potentially bad. "I sense something...a strange presence. We are not alone here, my servant." The Prime Minister raised his hand and snapped his fingers; three all-too-familiar forms appeared in the middle of the room around Avan.

_Constructs! _If he wasn't sure of Hayashida's true identity, he was now. Titus shrank back against the wall behind him, dismissing his visor and remaining very still. The shadowy creatures began stalking around the room, clearly searching for him. _I don't know how he sensed my presence, but this is not good. Not good at all. _Titus took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, forcing out all his anxiety along with it. _Oh, well. There's nothing for it, then. __Remember the old days. Sometimes discovery is unavoidable. The key is to own the situation. Reveal yourself, and you take the initiative away from your opponent._

He stepped out into the light. "Greetings, Revenant Knight."

The Constructs' heads snapped around at once, and they rushed towards him.

"Hold!"

They stopped in-place, completely rigid. _They really are simple machines, are't they, _he noted.

Hayashida turned to face him, a ruby-red gleam in his eyes. "A lunar cat. You're with the Sailor Senshi, then."

"Indeed."

His fingers clenched slowly as he stared down at Titus; he seemed almost amused. "And you have uncovered my identity."

The cat glanced at the Trickster. It all made sense now. At least, most of it did. "Avan gave you away."

"Untrue, untrue!" Avan hopped from foot to foot as he glared at the cat. "That's a dirty lie!"

Titus ignored him. "Some kind of advanced Construct, I presume?"

"But of course." Hayashida stepped around his desk and approached him slowly. "I am capable of far more impressive creations than Terror, Wrath or even Ruination. Avan has a true form. He has substance. Detail. Personality and intellect. He is capable of making decisions, forming plans, and changing tactics. He is the single greatest Construct I have ever formed." His cold smile returned. "I will ask _you_ a question in return, _cat_. How did you deduce my identity?"

Titus shrugged. "You refer to your current guise? I was wary of your predecessor's sudden death, given everything else that was happening at the time; there was your imminent arrival and Avan's sudden appearance, of course, but it was your sudden interest in the Sailor Senshi that attracted my attention." He glanced at the blue-skinned jester briefly. "The rest was simple when I understood the truth. Avan the Trickster truly is nothing but a fairy-tale. His appearance is based off an illustration in a collection of tales; a book that dates back more than eight-hundred years before the fall of the Moon Kingdom. At first I thought I was looking for someone with access to the Eternity Main System, but it all started to fall into place after I heard you talking. Varelus, Guardian Knight of Justice; you were likely a child when it was first published."

Hayashida laughed quietly. "You are quite intelligent, aren't you?"

Titus looked up at the trio of Constructs; none of them had moved, nor had Avan, and the Revenant Knight didn't seem particularly concerned at having his plans discovered. "There's still one thing I don't understand, though; the _why_. Why bring a fairy-tale character from the Moon Kingdom to Earth?"

"Why not?" His counter was almost casual. "Avan served several purposes. He has gathered energy for me _and _my body, all while keeping your precious Sailor Senshi distracted and off-balance. You were far too busy with him to notice my machinations...until it was too late. And now, he has given the Prime Minister the perfect reason to act against them." He smiled slyly. "Seven people are dead, including three children. Japan is _outraged_."

_I missed it,_ Titus realised. _I was just as distracted as everyone else, trying to unravel the mystery behind Avan when the answer is simple; there is no rhyme or reason to his presence here. He's simply different from Terror, Wrath and Ruin. The Revenant Knight could just as easily have sent Queen Serenity herself to attack us._ "A brilliant plan, Revenant Knight. There are no False Senshi to unmask this time, nor is there any viable proof of their innocence to be found."

Hayashida smiled. "But of course. Wrath's plan was sound, if a little inelegant. I have merely _refined_ it."

Avan bowed slowly. "It is a pleasure to serve, master."

"You!" Titus called, turning to the Trickster. "You told Sailor Venus you know everything about her. How?"

There was a coldness to the Prime Minister's voice as he also turned to face Avan. "Did you now?"

The Trickster seemed nervous. "I was merely…gloating, master."

"How does he know anything at all?" Titus demanded. "How did he know her real name?"

"Because _I_ told him," Hayashida replied, laughing.

"And how did _you_ learn it?"

"Because Sailor Fury knew it…therefore _I_ know it." The Prime Minister's eyes flared ruby red as a smoky cloud emerged to surround him, wrapping him in the familiar form of the Revenant Knight. "Sailor Fury belongs to _me, _even in death. All of my servants do. Forever..."

_This is bad,_ Titus thought, glancing around the room. _If he knows who Minako is, he could have been following her this entire time. The entire team might be compromised!_

The Revenant Knight raised a clawed finger. "I grow weary of this." He turned to his Constructs. "Kill the cat."

Titus leapt for the nearest Construct and focused on his left paw; a glowing purple blade shimmered into existence around it and he slashed its head to ribbons. He sprang off the dead creature's body to land a hit on a second. Avan's sceptre narrowly missed his face as he landed on the Prime Minister's desk and leapt for the window.

A blast of red lightning caught him in the side, sending him flying into the glass; it shattered before him, cutting into his side as he tumbled out into the night.

He landed awkwardly on the ground below and began to run, ignoring the pain in his leg and side. _He wouldn't have revealed so much unless he was ready to move against us. I have to warn the others! They could all be in terrible danger!_

* * *

AN: I was doing so well at keeping these short, but no longer it seems! Ah, well. The big reveal has been made! The Revenant Knight is the Prime Minister of Japan! I wanted to show a little spy-mode Titus, too. I'd been wondering how a little black cat really managed to get in and out of such dangerous places, and I decided he must have had some sort of edge over other cats like Luna and Artemis. Question answered, haha. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I had a Corey/Minako scene planned but I had to cut it due to length. It'll probably kick off the next chapter instead. Back with more soon!


	12. Usagi's Decision

Corey tried closing his eyes again and was immediately confronted with an image of _her. _Charred skin hanging from her arms, angry red burns marring her face; the girl he'd pulled out of the arcade. The girl who'd died. He sighed quietly as he opened his eyes once more and glanced at the alarm clock beside the bed. _Just past midnight. It's been an hour and a half and I'm still no closer to sleep._

The room was quiet. Almost _too _quiet. The only sound at all came from beside him; Minako's gentle, rhythmic breathing. She was lying on her side with her back to him, and her long, blonde hair was just about the only thing he could see of her. She'd rolled over about fifteen minutes after going to bed and that was it. _Out like a light_, he thought, amused. _Whether it's this life or the last, Minako can sleep through pretty much anything. It must be nice._

His eyes narrowed as he stared up at the ceiling of his bedroom. One patch in particular seemed to be a slightly lighter shade of white than the rest. _Or is it just me going stir-crazy after being cooped up in here for so long without getting to sleep? _The white mass of fur at the end of the bed caught his attention for a moment, and he looked down at a sleeping Artemis. It was Minako's idea to stay here; with her parents rushed off to England, she hadn't felt like sleeping alone in a 'big, empty house'. It was also her idea to bring the cat with her. _She think's it'll help him cope with our new sleeping arrangements,_ he thought warily. _Come on, cutie, she said. It'll be good for him to see us just sleeping next to each other. _Corey still wasn't convinced. _I think it's gonna make things even more awkward; he gave me a dirty look just for kissing Minako goodnight!_

The bed moved slightly beneath him as Minako turned over and reached up to rub her eyes sleepily. "Are you _still_ awake?"

He nodded. "Mm-hmm."

Her hand slid over his chest as she snuggled up against him. "That girl?"

"Yeah." Corey brought his arm up around her shoulders; the feel of her body against his was almost reassuring. "I don't know why I'm so fixated on her. Six other people died with her…three of them kids. But I can't get her out of my head."

"You pulled her out yourself." She planted a kiss on his shoulder. "It's understandable. Just try to stop thinking about it."

"I can't," he said. "I've been trying to do exactly that since I got into bed, and it's not working."

Minako went quiet. "Well…" Her expression brightened suddenly. "I know. I'll give you something else to think about!"

Corey looked down at her and frowned. "Like what?" Her mischievous smile had him concerned.

"Hotaru has a crush on you."

"What?!" he demanded.

Artemis sat bolt upright at the end of the bed, his tail puffed up and the fur on his back standing on end. "What?! What's happening?"

Minako laughed uncontrollably as she sat up. "N-Nothing, Artemis, go back…oh, god, hahaha…go back to sleep!"

The cat blinked in confusion, but nodded as he began to curl up again. "Alright…"

Corey stared at her with wide eyes, his heart pounding in his chest. _She's just messing with me, right?_

His girlfriend wiped her eyes and took a deep breath in. "Oh, wow. That was too funny!"

"There's nothing funny about that at all!" he protested. "You're kidding, right?"

"Nope!" Minako stifled another laugh. "Hotaru is totally crushing on you. It was obvious back at the shrine. The blush, her shyness around you…it's really cute."

"That's just Hotaru being Hotaru!"

"Oh?" She raised an eyebrow as her mischievous smile returned. "What about your little trip to the mall? Chibiusa told me Hotaru was _flirting _with you."

"No, that's not true at all!" Corey argued. "All I did was follow your advice and try to get to know her better. We talked, sure, but it was really awkward. She barely spoke to me at all!"

"Shhh." Minako pressed her finger to his lips. "You'll scare Arty again." She cuddled into his side again, idly tracing lines across his chest with her fingertips. "Trust me. As someone who had a _lot _of crushes through her teenage years, Hotaru has one…and it's on you."

Corey reached up to wipe his sweaty brow; a mild panic was setting in. "I've never been anybody's crush before! What the hell do I do?"

She laughed quietly. "Nothing at all."

He swallowed nervously. "But, uh…you and I are…together."

Minako snorted as she held back more giggles. "Oh, silly cutie…it's really sweet of you to think of me but I know you're not planning on running off with Hotaru." Her pale blue eyes sparkled as they looked up into his. "Besides, Hotaru is already really shy. If you make a big deal out of this or worse, try to shut it down, she'll just end up hurt. In fact, she'll probably withdraw even further."

"So what you're saying is..."

"Just try to be her friend and let the crush run its course," she said gently. "She'll move on eventually."

"But…" _That sounds crazy to me_, Corey thought, _b__ut that's nothing new with Minako. _"I guess you are the expert on this sort of thing."

"That's right, which means you should listen to me." Minako leaned up to kiss him gently. "Now, try and get some sleep. I don't imagine tomorrow is gonna be any easier."

Corey nodded and lay back against his pillow as Minako snuggled into his chest, apparently intending to sleep _on_ him. _I can't complain, _he thought wryly. _This does feel pretty good. _His eyes closed and he saw nothing but black; Minako's latent ability to cheer him up was obviously still very much in effect. He began to drift off almost immediately, the events of the day catching up to him.

"Corey…"

He sat bolt upright at the strained voice. "Titus?" His hand reached out to turn on the lamp, and he heard Minako gasp in surprise beside him. "Holy shit, what the hell happened to you?"

Titus managed a weak grin as he limped closer to the bed. "Oh, you know. Occupational hazards and all that." His black fur was slick with blood from a cut in his side, and his right hind leg trembled with each step.

"By Selene, who did this to you?" Artemis asked.

Corey dashed out of bed, dropping to one knee before him. Minako tossed him a pillowcase from the wardrobe and he wrapped it around the cat's body immediately as he applied pressure to his wound. "What happened?"

"I had a little run-in with our true enemy," Titus said. "The Revenant Knight, Corey...he's already here. We need to get the others together at once. I have a lot to tell them."

"It's late," Artemis replied. "Can it wait 'til morning?"

"No." Titus' expression was as serious as Corey had ever seen it. "It really can't."

* * *

"The Revenant Knight is the Prime Minister of Japan."

Usagi's blood froze in her veins as Titus' words sank in. "Prime Minister?" A quick look around the room confirmed her friends felt the same way. Except Rei; she was still completely blank, just as she'd been earlier.

"Well, that's a surprise," Makoto said. "I thought this was about our Trickster friend."

Setsuna leaned forward on her chair. "If the Revenant Knight is here, now, then that would make this the Trickster a…"

Titus nodded. "A Construct, yes." He winced as he adjusted his position; the bandages around his body stood out starkly against his now-black fur. Usagi found it somewhat distracting; as far as she'd known, he was ginger. One more lie from her mother's former spymaster, it seemed.

Minako sat forward on the couch, frowning. "But he's not all blank and shadowy."

The _black _cat shook his head. "No but, according to the Revenant Knight, he is capable of far more detailed and powerful creations than his subordinates. Avan is just as adept as any of his other lieutenants; the only difference is he created this one himself."

Corey leaned forward too, his hand still loosely around Minako's shoulders. "But why bring an old Moon Kingdom fairy-tale character to life?"

"It was a distraction," Titus answered. "It took the focus off him, so he could move about freely without being detected."

"And it worked perfectly," Luna concluded.

Artemis nodded slowly. "We were entirely focused on the Trickster, and who or what he was. We didn't see anything else."

Mamoru shifted beside Usagi. "All that effort, just as a distraction?"

"No," Titus said, shaking his head. "The Trickster served many purposes."

Minako sighed. "He played us like a riddle."

Ami pinched the bridge of her and closed her eyes. "That's _fiddle_, Minako."

"Oh, you knew what I meant."

Usagi was still in a state of stunned disbelief. _The Revenant Knight is already here…and he's the Prime Minister. How are we supposed to fight him now?_

"The legends tell of the Revenant Knight's 'curse'; a non-corporeal form is one of his greatest strengths, but it is also his Achilles heel. His 'body' is as corrupt as the rest of him, in a constant state of decay; it feeds off life energy and, in the absence of other sources, it will begin to consume itself. Avan has been gathering energy for the Revenant Knight this whole time, feeding him a steady supply." Titus stood and began to pace the room. "I overheard them talking before I was discovered; he said 'the body' had increased its pace."

"The body?" Setsuna repeated. "He refers to his natural form?"

"Yes," Titus agreed. "Ami and I saw the photographs taken by NASA; the Revenant Knight's real body is still up there, making its way through the solar system. And from the sounds of things, its accelerating.

Chibiusa's voice was quiet. "But his mind has somehow come here first?"

"More than his mind, I assure you." Titus glanced down at his bandages. "He was quite capable."

"Is there any way we can use that against him?" Ami asked. "Is it even a weakness?"

"We don't have enough information to make that judgement." Titus glanced around the room. "All we know for sure is that he's here...and he's the Prime Minister."

Makoto slammed her fist down into her palm. "We should march over to his office right now and break his face!"

"And cement your images in the public eye?" Setsuna shook her head. "That would be reckless."

"Besides," Ami said quietly, "how can we be sure that the Prime Minister isn't being controlled against his will?"

"I didn't get that impression from him at all." Titus' eyes narrowed. "I was speaking with the Revenant Knight himself; there was no delay in his voice or hint of resistance."

"But you can't be sure." Usagi reached up to rub her temples; she was getting a headache. "So, what's our plan now?"

Mamoru squeezed her hand gently. "Nothing's changed."

"Agreed," Corey said. "We still need to find a way to hurt him. He's got a physical body right now; that might work to our advantage."

"That should remain our focus." Setsuna glanced to her right. "You had some thoughts on that, Hotaru?"

The younger girl glanced at the floor. "Uh…yes."

Minako smiled over at her. "Don't be shy, Hotaru. What are you thinking?"

Ami nodded. "Yes, please go ahead."

Hotaru returned their smiles hesitantly. "Well, it's just…our normal attacks won't hurt him. He exists somewhere between life and death." A frown formed on her face. "The Revenant Knight is…_wrong_. He cannot be killed through ordinary means. He feels like Pharaoh 90 did. Cold, and empty."

"Back when he was trying to convert me, he said that Chaos once tried to tempt him to its cause." Corey glanced around. "But he _consumed _Chaos instead, and took its power for himself…if he's to be believed."

"That would explain why he feels familiar to Hotaru, then." Setsuna actually seemed anxious. "The thought of him somehow absorbing an aspect of Chaos, rather than the reverse...that is terrifying."

Corey nodded. "No arguments there. Of all his strengths, it's his will that seems the strongest." He turned to Usagi apologetically. "And right now, that will is focused on one thing only."

Usagi sighed. "The Silver Crystal."

Chibiusa sat forward on Mamoru's other side. "So…what do we do?"

"For now, I would advise you all to do _nothing_." Titus looked over to Usagi. "If Avan appears, stay away. It's almost certainly going to be another trap." His gaze turned to Rei. "Just like the Crown Arcade. He caused that explosion, Rei. It was all a ploy to turn the people against you, and give him an excuse to act."

The shrine maiden's fingers slowly coiled into a tight fist; her entire forearm shook as her lips curled back in an angry snarl. "That bastard made me think I'd killed seven people!"

Makoto put a hand on her shoulder. "Easy, Rei. You _didn't_, and we all knew it."

"He has to pay, Usagi." Rei's voice was as cold as she'd ever heard it; her eyes burned with rage. "For all those lives he took. For such needless slaughter. He _has _to pay!"

"He will, Rei," she said quietly. "He will."

"We'll bring him to justice," Corey agreed firmly. "Once and for all."

Titus cleared his throat. "There _is _another issue."

Makoto's eyes narrowed. "What else could there possibly be?"

"The Revenant Knight explained how Avan knew Minako's name."

"Oh, really?" The blonde leaned forward. "How?"

"Sailor Fury knew it."

Luna frowned. "What does that matter?"

"In his words, Sailor Fury belongs to him...even in death." Titus hesitated. "All his servants do. It seems that all their knowledge is passed to him. Or something like that."

Minako remained silent but Usagi could see that she was troubled. _Minako's still hung up on what happened with Fury, _she realised. _Even now._

"That's worrying," Artemis said slowly. "Who knows what else Fury knew about the rest of you! Or, the Revenant Knight could have had you followed, Minako."

Dread began to swirl around in Usagi's stomach. "Then he may know who we all are. That means…" Her eyes locked on Luna's. "My family!" She leapt to her feet. "I have to go! I have to check on them!"

Ami started to rise. "But, Usagi-"

She was already at the door, pulling on her shoes. "Mamoru, take care of Chibiusa! I have to make sure they're okay!"

Luna dashed after her. "Usagi! Wait for me!"

* * *

"I'm sure they're fine. You're worrying about nothing!"

Usagi ignored Luna as she pushed her front door open and slipped inside, heading quickly into the living room. So far, so good; everything looked normal.

"Usagi!" Luna hissed. "Will you please just slow down and talk to me?"

She nodded impatiently. "Fine, fine. Talk already!"

"What's your plan here?"

"I need to do what Minako did," Usagi said. "I need to convince my family to get out of Tokyo, and maybe even Japan. Until this is all over."

Luna shook her head in frustration. "But we don't know that the Revenant Knight actually knows who you are."

"He _might_!" Usagi countered. "That's enough for me!"

"Alright, then I'll repeat the question. What's your plan? How are you going to convince them to leave?"

"Well, I don't know!" The blonde rolled her eyes. "I'll work something out!"

"Usagi?"

She froze as the lights clicked on. Her parents stood in the doorway; her father held a baseball bat.

"What kind of hour is this to be coming home?" Ikuko asked. "And who were you just talking to?"

"Hmm?" Usagi affected an air of innocence. "Was I talking?"

"Yes." Her mother frowned. "Quite loudly."

Usagi glared down at Luna, and the cat just rolled her eyes. "Oh! Right, I _was_ talking!"

Kenji let the bat lower. "To who?"

"Um…" _Think, _she told herself frantically. _Think of something quick! _"I was talking to…myself!" She plastered an innocent smile on her face. "I was…_practicing_! For a school play!"

Luna slapped a paw into her own forehead.

Ikuko folded her arms across her chest. "You're not at high school anymore, Usagi."

"Oh, right." She almost repeated Luna's forehead slap. "I meant university, of course!"

"But you're studying political science," Kenji said, clearly confused.

"Um..." Usagi let out a nervous laugh. _Oh, my god, I really_ do _sound like Minako today! What's wrong with me? _She put on a solemn face. "That is _not_ important right now."

Ikuko held up her hand. "Usagi-"

"Look, Mama…Papa…don't you think it would be nice to get out of the city for a while?" She fidgeted nervously, tapping her fingertips together. "Maybe you could go on a vacation…for five to six weeks. Without telling anyone else."

Her fathered put the bat down and frowned. "Usagi, have you been drinking?"

"What? No!" Usagi glared down at Luna as her cat stifled a laugh. "I'm just-"

"Has Mamoru been letting you drink?" he asked, his expression darkening.

"No!" she protested. "Mamoru has nothing to do with this! He's a wonderful, caring man who looks out for me, keeps me safe and-" She cut herself off this time. "Again, that's not important! What _is _important is-"

"What's with all the noise?" Shingo stomped down the stairs and shot her a dirty look. "Is Usagi drunk or something?"

"Why does everyone keep insisting I'm drunk?!"

Ikuko cringed. "Really, honey, there's no need to screech."

The blonde let out a frustrated sigh. "Look, with everything going on lately the city's getting a little dangerous-"

Her mother peered at her suspiciously. "I'm _sure _I heard another voice earlier."

"That was me," Usagi snapped. "Now, _listen-_"

"I _heard _her, Usagi."

"There was no second girl!" Technically, it wasn't even a lie; Luna was a cat, after all. Usagi resisted the urge to groan loudly; she was getting desperate. _How do I convince them to listen? _"Please! The city-"

"Stupid Usagi!" Shingo groaned. "I have school in the morning!"

"So go back to bed!" Usagi was getting irritated by the constant interruptions. "Nobody asked you to come down here anyway!"

"Usagi!" The sound of Ikuko's voice was still enough to make her flinch. "That's no way to talk to your brother!"

"Why are you so concerned about the city all of a sudden?" Kenji asked.

She had a sudden idea. _Maybe that's how I can convince them! _"Because, uh, _Sailor Moon_ told me it was dangerous!" Luna sighed, and Usagi nudged her with her foot. "She told me that it's not safe here right now, and that we should get out of town!"

"Sailor Moon told you that." Ikuko didn't sound convinced. At all.

Usagi reached up to rub the back of her head; this wasn't going very well. "Uh, yes. After a fight with one of those shadow monster things. I was bystanding. I mean, I was a bystander. An _innocent _one. Very innocent."

"Wait." Her father eyed her off suspiciously. "You're saying Sailor Moon told you that the city wasn't safe, and that we should leave…but before that, you said that _we _should go on a vacation. Meaning us and not you. You want to stay?" His eyes narrowed. "Be honest, Usagi. Are you doing all of this so you can throw some crazy university party?!"

"What? No, I-"

"I _knew _Mamoru was a bad influence on you-"

Usagi snapped. "This is _not _about Mamoru, Papa! I just need you – _all _of you – to leave so you're _safe_!"

"Safe from _what_?" Ikuko demanded. "You're not making any sense!"

"The Prime Minister!" Luna tapped her foot and she quickly corrected herself. "Uh, that is, Sailor Moon told me the Prime Minister is actually an evil death cloud from space and his real form is coming and it's dangerous and-"

"Oh, god," Kenji wailed. "You're not drunk at all, are you? You're _high_! My little girl is on drugs!"

"Yep," Shingo agreed. "That must be it."

Usagi just stopped. They wouldn't listen, no matter what she tried. _How did Minako get _her_ parents to agree to leave so easily? _The answer was obvious. _They know she's a Sailor Senshi, so they knew she was serious when she brought it up. But Mama and Papa just think I'm drunk or high! _

Queen Serenity's words echoed through her head. _No matter what you do, no matter what choices you make...you cannot please everyone. Sometimes, there are no good choices. There comes a time when no matter what you decide...someone is hurt. As queen, the burden of making those choices is yours to bear. You must weigh up the consequences of every option...and make a decision. _

"I have to show you, don't I?" she muttered, turning away. "There's no other way to convince you."

Luna meowed rather frantically and began tapping her foot again; Usagi ignored her.

Ikuko frowned. "Show us what?"

"Really, honey, you're starting to worry me," Kenji said. "Is everything okay? Are you having what they call a _bad trip_?

_There is no 'good' choice here_, Usagi realised. _Either I do nothing and pass this all off as a crazy, exhaustion-induced freak out…or I reveal my secret and admit I've been lying to them for the last five years. _Usagi sighed. _Either I risk hurting their feelings now, or I risk their very lives by saying nothing. _She knew what she had to do. _It's an easy choice...and I've made my decision. Now I just have to deal with the consequences._

She reached up to open her brooch and brushed her hand over the crystal inside. "Moon Eternal, Make-Up!" In a flash of pink light and feathers, Usagi transformed into Sailor Moon. The blonde span around to face her family…and groaned as a vase crashed to the floor, knocked over by one of her wings. "Oh, come on! Not again! Why is our house so tiny?!"

Her complaint was met with silence. Ikuko stared at her with wide eyes, as did her father, while Shingo's jaw had just about hit the floor.

Sailor Moon flashed a nervous smile. "Mama? Papa?"

Kenji groaned as he toppled backwards and hit the floor. Moon stepped forward to stare down at him awkwardly.

"Huh. I didn't see that coming."

* * *

AN: Cliffhanger, mwahahaha! You thought I was done with those, didn't you? Nah, in all seriousness I apologise but this was just a perfect place to end the chapter. It's not a particularly big chapter, content or plot-wise, but hopefully it was fun. Next up - Usagi gets to have 'the talk' with 'Mama and Papa'. Plus, some other stuff! Thanks for reading!


	13. Second Chances

Shingo's face turned bright red. "_You're_ Sailor Moon?!"

Usagi felt her eyes roll, almost of their own accord. "No, Shingo. I somehow transformed into her magically for another reason. Yes, I'm Sailor Moon!" Luna groaned below her and she nudged her yet again with her boot. "Quiet, you!"

Her brother looked decidedly uncomfortable. "Gross! I…I had such a massive crush on her when I was younger! Now, you're telling me-"

"Ewww!" She could almost feel her skin crawling. "Shingo, I'm your _sister_! You wanna talk about gross? _That's_ gross!"

He shook his head frantically. "Well, I didn't know she was you at the time, did I?!"

Ikuko had been silent following Usagi's reveal, but she finally let out an exasperated sigh as she looked down at her husband. "Could you two please stop bickering and help me get your father onto the couch?"

Usagi bent down to take hold of his shoulders and dragged him across the floor with relative ease. She stopped short of trying lift him herself, though; it wouldn't do to drop him. She glared irritably at Shingo. "Well? Don't just stand there, you little sister-crushing creep! Grab Papa's feet and help me!"

He closed in reluctantly and took hold of their father's feet, helping her lift him onto the couch. "You can stop bringing it up now, idiot!"

She returned fire immediately. "Who're you calling an idiot, you-"

"Enough!" Ikuko snapped. "Both of you! Stop this nonsense at once!"

Usagi hung her head; her mother was not to be trifled with. Even as Sailor Moon. "Sorry, Mama."

"Sorry." Shingo was equally contrite.

The older woman took a deep breath and exhaled slowly as she locked eyes with Usagi. "Alright…" She gestured at her uniform. "This. Explain. Now."

Usagi had never been particularly confident when put on the spot. She hesitated and took a nervous step backwards; a lamp crashed to the floor, shattering into several pieces. The blonde's face contorted into an awkward cringe. "Oops."

Luna shook her head and sighed heavily.

"Oh, for goodness' sake!" Ikuko stepped forward, grabbed Usagi by the shoulders, and pulled her into the centre of the room. "Just stand right there and you won't knock anything else over with your...wings?" She wavered unsteadily on her feet as she seemed to really notice them for the first time.

"Mama?" Usagi reached out to steady her. "Perhaps you should sit down?"

"That might be a good idea," Ikuko agreed, sinking down into a waiting armchair.

She turned to her brother. "Well don't just stand there, Shingo! Get her some water!"

He returned quickly, glass in hand, and passed the water to his mother. She took several small sips, and nodded slowly. "Alright, Usagi. Start explaining. From the beginning."

"Um...it's a pretty long story." Usagi hugged her own elbows and began. "Let's see. I was fourteen, and I came across a group of kids picking on a black cat…"

* * *

Corey resisted the urge to groan. The meeting - if you could still call it that - had officially ended a while ago, not long after Usagi ran off to check on her parents. That hadn't stopped Setsuna, Titus and Artemis from entering into a rather animated discussion about the Revenant Knight. The rest of the group had managed to duck out at some point along the way. But this was _his _apartment; there was nowhere else to go.

Minako yawned beside him as she rubbed her eyes sleepily. "I can't believe they're still going."

"You and me both," he muttered.

"Those three really do like the sound of their own voices, huh?" She snuggled into the side of the couch and curled up as she closed her eyes again. "Goodnight…"

"Why don't you just go to bed?" She didn't answer, and Corey turned around to find her already sound asleep. _God,_ he thought, shaking his head. I_ wish I could sleep half as well as Minako does._

Titus was recounting some long, waffling theory about the Revenant Knight's abilities. Corey tuned out_. Once you've spoken to the bastard face-to-face you lose interest in most of it. He claims he's trying to destroy Chaos once and for all...by destroying all life in the galaxy so it can start over. But if that's the case, why does he radiate so much anger and hatred? It practically rolls off him in waves. No, _he decided, _there is absolutely nothing noble about his goals at all._

"Sir Justice…"

He laughed quietly. "I already told you, Hotaru, nobody calls me that anymore." He turned towards her and froze up; she was staring right at him. _No_, he realised, _not _at _me. _Through _me! _Hotaru's eyes had a distant, glassy look to them, as if she were in some sort of trance.

Her voice was nothing more than a whisper. "Listen to me carefully…Guardian Knight."

Corey remained silent. _Is this...Sailor Saturn?_

She continued on, undaunted. "The Revenant Knight is wrong. Broken. He exists somewhere between life and death. The twisted creature reached his appointed time to die long ago…but he somehow continued on through sheer force of will alone. His mind was consumed by anger and hatred; it manifests as the aura you see. Together with his will it forms a barrier against any attack; a barrier that is nigh impenetrable. The power of all the Sailor Senshi combined will not defeat him. The Silence Glaive will not defeat him. Even his greatest weakness, your Judicial Flames, is not strong enough to defeat him alone."

"Then what? How do we stop him?"

"The Lady in White knows the truth. She schemes in the dark, Sir Justice. She leads and you follow blindly, an unwitting pawn in her machinations. All seems hopeless now, but know that she works to aid you despite appearances. Have Faith in her, Honour your Oath, and she will lead you to Justice." She blinked once, slowly. Perhaps she was coming out of whatever state she was in? "Be assured that everything to come is meant to be. She _will _deliver you to the key."

_Have Faith, Honour my Oath, and she will lead me to Justice? That's clearly a reference to the Divine Triumvirate of Selene. But why? _He leaned forward. "Hotaru? Try and hold on. What do you mean by that? Were we right all along? Do the Guardian Knights hold the answer after all? How do I find it?"

Hotaru blinked again, and her eyes seemed to brighten. They began to move as her gaze drifted away from him. It was too late; she'd woken up.

"Hotaru?" he asked gently. "Are you alright?"

"Yes..." She looked away. "I'm sorry, Corey."

"Sorry? For what?"

"When Saturn takes over like that...I don't always know what she means either." Her hands folded awkwardly in her lap. "I wish I could help you..."

Corey shook his head. "Don't be silly. It's not your fault she doesn't feel like sharing her reasoning with you." He flashed her a friendly smile. "Besides, I think I've got a pretty good idea of what a lot of that meant."

"Y-You do?"

"Sure." He remembered Minako's advice; just try to be her friend. "The Lady in White? Clearly a reference to Selene. And then she mentioned Faith, Honour and Justice, which is obviously tied into the Guardian Knights." His hand came up to scratch at his chin. "Saturn was try to tell me something. Selene is involved in all of this, that's for sure, and the key to defeating the Revenant Knight must lie with the Guardian Knights, as we suspected. I just don't know how it all ties together. Yet." He leaned forward. "Got any ideas for me?"

Hotaru returned his smile with one of her own. "Well-"

"What are the two of you talking about?" Setsuna had suddenly appeared beside them. She had an odd expression on her face; a strange mix of curiosity...and annoyance?

Corey shrugged casually. "Nothing much. Just throwing around theories about our old pal Rev."

He had a sneaking suspicious that Setsuna knew _exactly _what they'd been talking about...and she wasn't happy about it. _How much does Setsuna really know about what's going on_, he wondered. _And how much is she holding back?_

"That's right," Hotaru said quickly; she smiled shyly as Corey flashed her a thumbs up behind Setsuna's back.

The Guardian of Time turned back to him and frowned; she was definitely unhappy about something. "Yes, well...I do believe I should get Hotaru home to bed." She turned and bowed slightly to the two cats. "If you'll excuse us, we'll say goodnight."

Hotaru actually smiled again. "G-Goodnight, Corey."

Corey returned it politely. "Goodnight, Setsuna. Hotaru."

Minako sat bolt upright. "I'm awake!" She glanced around in confusion. "Oh, you're leaving?"

"Go to bed, Minako." Setsuna managed to sound amused, despite a second suspicious look at Corey as she stepped through his door. "Sleep well."

Corey closed the door behind them and locked it. Hotaru might be 'crushing' on him, as Minako would put it, but she seemed content to keep her distance. _And_, he decided, _crush or no crush, it's nice to see her smiling for a change._

* * *

Prime Minister Hayashida leaned back in his chair, staring at the two servants before him. "You recognise me." It was not a question.

The shadow on his left bowed. "Of course, my Lord Revenant."

His comrade simple nodded silently; Hayashida found that amusing. She was still angry, then. That was good. It would only strengthen her resolve, and that would be important. Given Avan's recent success, they were lucky to be given another chance at all. He would happily use nothing but Constructs...but the added psychological advantages these two offered against the Sailor Senshi and their allies could not be ignored.

"Your task is simple, my loyal Shadow-Knight." Hayashida's eyes narrowed. "Seek out Justice, and kill his woman; kill Sailor Venus. It will bring him far more pain than his own death could ever cause. I want him distracted. I want in him pain. I want him..._broken_."

"At once, my lord." The armoured figure bowed and span, becoming a whirling black vortex of ash and smoke. A great black portal appeared in the air and he disappeared through it.

He turned to the woman standing opposite him; her green eyes narrowed. "As for you...find Princess Serenity. Prove that you are greater than her, once and for all. Goad her. Anger her. Lead her to me, so I might feast on her life and take the Silver Crystal from her corpse. Succeed, and I shall restore your body as I have restored your mind."

"Of course, my master." The woman bowed formally and strode towards the full-length mirror on the wall, walking through it without any hesitation.

He leaned back once again and locked his fingers together in a pyramid. "Your days are nearly done, Princess. The game belongs to me."

* * *

"And that's pretty much it." Usagi shrugged again and waited for a response. "Um…any questions?"

Her family seemed to be in a state of collective shock. _That's fair enough_, Usagi thought. _It _is_ a lot to take in at once. _

Her mother was the first to speak. "You're a _princess_?"

Usagi laughed awkwardly, feeling a blush coming on. "Well, officially, yes...but to be honest, I've never really felt like one. I'm still just plain old Usagi to you guys!"

Kenji cleared his throat; his eyes seemed focused elsewhere. "Honey...why is your skirt so short?"

She almost rolled her eyes. _Leave it him to pick that to focus on. _"I don't really know, Papa, it just is. It always has been."

"Well, I don't like it. It exposes far too much leg!" He turned to Shingo. "And you! Stop ogling your sister!"

"I wasn't!" he protested, turning red.

"Geez, Shingo, I'm your _sister_. Cut it out!" Usagi couldn't help but feel a little smug at her father's words. _One of them actually took my side for a change. I was sure Papa was going to try and use Shingo's staring to complain about my skirt some more!_

"I'm just weirded out," her brother grumbled. "Seriously, how can someone like _you _turn out to be Sailor Moon?!"

"What do you mean someone like me?" she demanded. Her Tiare appeared in a flash of pink light. "Don't make me crack you over the head with this!"

"Usagi!" Kenji snapped. "Don't threaten your brother with your...club?"

_And just like that_, she thought wearily, _my sense of victory is gone. _She looked over at her mother; she'd barely said a word this entire time. Usagi could handle digs about the length of her skirt and her competence as a Sailor Senshi, but her mother's silence was worrying. "Mama? Say something. Anything!"

"I'm…disappointed, Usagi."

The winged Senshi nodded and bowed her head. "I know. It wasn't my idea to become Sailor Moon, but-"

"I think you're misunderstanding me," Ikuko replied dryly. "I'm not disappointed that you're Sailor Moon. On the contrary, I'm actually very proud of you. You've saved countless lives. How could I be disappointed in you for that?" She stood and enfolded her in a warm hug. "I'm disappointed that you thought you had to hide this from us!" She stepped back, a hurt look on her face. "For all these years, you let me believe you were just some lazy, immature girl...but I was so wrong. Lazy? You were just tired from being out all night. Immature...you...uh, that is to say..." Ikuko cleared her throat. "I'm actually having a little trouble thinking of a reason for that, but I'm sure there is one. A _good _one!"

Usagi laughed nervously. "Uh, no, not really. That's just me."

"Whydidn't you tell us?" Kenji asked. "Why couldn't you trust us?"

"That was my suggestion," Luna admitted. "It seemed prudent to keep Usagi's identity a secret from everyone, at least at first."

"And then, over time," Usagi continued, "it just became second nature to hide it. I thought about telling you guys so many times at first...but I was worried about Shingo."

"What?" he sputtered. "Why worry about me?"

"Think about it," she said softly. "When you were younger, could you have really kept my secret? Or would you have wanted to brag to everyone that Sailor Moon was your sister?"

"Well, I..." He nodded reluctantly. "Yeah, I would have wanted to brag."

"Exactly." Usagi smiled faintly as she faced her parents again. "There was also you two...and my own silly reasoning. I couldn't bear the thought of you being hurt because of me. I thought it would be safer for everyone if you didn't know. After all, the more people who know about something, the greater the chance it will be discovered, right?"

"But _we _would have kept your secret," Ikuko said.

"I know...but that was the decision I made at the time. For better or worse." Usagi let out a tired sigh. "Either way, now you know, and hopefully you understand that I'm asking you to get out of Tokyo for _your _safety."

"Well," Kenji said slowly, "we could always visit my parents. Their town is fairly remote, and they'd never turn us away. Even if we turn up unannounced."

Ikuko nodded in agreement. "It had been a while since we visited anyway. I think we could do that. Even if I'll worry about you, Usagi."

"Thank you." Usagi could almost feel the relief physically. "You have no idea how much better I'll feel knowing you're all safe." She caught Shingo staring at her again, and rolled her eyes. "What is it this time?"

"I guess you can't be all that stupid if you're Sailor Moon," he admitted.

"Well..." His sudden compliment, as back-handed as it might have been, caught her by surprise. "Thank you, Shingo. I think that's the nicest thing you've said to me in a long time." Her glare returned. "Which is kinda mean, when I think about it!"

"That was you who saved me all those years ago." He laughed quietly. "I never would have believed it at the time."

Usagi smiled back at him. "Of course I saved you, stupid. You may be my annoying little brother...but you _are _my brother, and I love you." Her gaze turned to her parents. "I love all of you. That's why I-"

A haughty laugh echoed through the room and Usagi froze. _I know that laugh…but that's impossible. She's dead! _

"What was that?" Shingo asked nervously.

"It's...probably nothing. The house settling...or something like that." The lie nearly stuck in her throat but she really didn't want them to worry; she was worried enough for all of them at this point. As the blonde looked around the room, a terrible sense of dread began building in her stomach.

"Oh, Usagi..." Ikuko moved closer to Kenji as he retrieved his bat. "You always were a terrible liar."

"I'm not _that _terrible," she answered reflexively. "You never worked out I was Sailor..." Usagi trailed off and shook her head. "It's not really the best time for that kind of joke, is it?"

The laughter fluttered through the room again; this time there was no mistaking it. She'd heard it several times before. That same mocking, arrogant tone...it was _her. _"How wonderful it is to see you again, Princess." Her voice seemed to come from everywhere at once.

_Knowing her_, Usagi thought sourly, _it probably is! _She raised the Eternal Tiare and took a step towards her family. _How can she be here? She's dead! Wrath killed her almost two weeks ago!_ Her eyes caught a glimpse of wild red hair in the display cabinet behind Shingo; she dove forward and slammed her weapon into it, shattering the glass into a thousand pieces.

"Usagi!" Ikuko cried. "What are you doing?!"

"Just trust me, Mama!" Usagi whirled about frantically, looking for other reflective surfaces. She realised all too quickly how futile her efforts were. _Our house is literally _full _of mirrors and glass!_

"What the hell is that?!" Shingo demanded, pointing at the living room window.

Usagi turned and her heart sank. "Oh, no…"

Luna's voice echoed her own concern. "By Selene...you were right to be worried after all, Usagi."

Sailor Pride pulled herself out of the window and dropped gently to the living room floor. She smirked coldly as she locked eyes with Usagi. "Hello again…_Usagi_." Her voice was a broken rasp, barely a whisper. "You look like you've seen a ghost!" The Sailor Marauder's black fuku was torn and stained with blood; a broken rib protruded from her side. The porcelain skin of her cheeks and neck was covered in dried blood. This was Pride as she'd last seen her; her ribcage crushed by Wrath. "Do pardon my appearance. I haven't had a chance to freshen up yet."

"S-Sailor Pride?!" Usagi took a reflexive step back. "How…?"

She reached up to brush a stray lock of crimson hair from her eyes. Her trademark silver hairsticks and bun were missing, leaving her hair hanging around her shoulders; it was in dire need of a good brushing. "My master has seen fit to give me one last chance to destroy you." Her eyes burned with rage as her scythe appeared in her hands. "It's a chance I don't intend to waste!"

* * *

Mamoru glanced sidelong at Chibiusa as they walked down the street towards Usagi's house. She _had _argued against him walking her home at first, but he'd insisted. There was something bothering her; he was sure of it. Something she obviously didn't want to talk about, at least not with Usagi or the other girls. _I've always been pretty good at getting her to open up, though._ _If she won't talk to Usagi, perhaps she'll talk to me?_ He just had to figure out how to raise the subject with her.

As his mind worked on that problem, he wondered how Usagi was doing with her parents. He had felt her transform, but without the sense of danger that typically accompanied it. That could only mean one thing; she'd decided to reveal herself to them. _I'll bet her father doesn't like the skirt_, he thought wryly. _I'm just glad I'm not there!_

"So," he said, turning to face the pink-haired girl. "How is everything in Crystal Tokyo? You haven't really talked about it much this time around."

Her reply was fairly flat. "I'm not supposed to talk about the future, remember?"

"Right." This wasn't going to be as easy as Mamoru had thought. "Remind me again why your parents chose to send you back for training _now_?"

She shrugged casually. "I don't know. They didn't really explain it."

"And how long are you planning on staying?" he asked.

"I'm…not sure." Chibiusa was definitely being evasive; she sounded uncomfortable.

Mamoru continued to push her. "I notice your mother didn't send a letter this time…"

Chibiusa came to an abrupt stop and glared up at him. "What's the big deal? First Usagi, and now _you_? I came back to spend time with you, my friends, and that's all I want to think about! Why can't you just drop it?!"

_There is definitely something going on here_, he decided. "Chibiusa, I just want to understand-" His voice cut out as a powerful wave of fear hit him hard; Usagi was still transformed, but now she was in danger. _Usako! _He pulled a rose from his jacket pocket and held it up; the familiar mask of Tuxedo Kamen appeared over his eyes, accompanied by a surge of strength.

Chibiusa glanced around, obviously searching for threats. "Mamo-chan? What's wrong?"

Tuxedo Kamen broke into a run. "Sailor Moon's in danger! We have to hurry!"

* * *

Corey glanced at his alarm clock again. _Four AM_. His stomach felt vaguely nauseous, but he couldn't figure out why. He rolled out of bed carefully to avoid waking Minako and headed out into the living room. _I haven't had this much trouble sleeping since I got Corval's memories back_, he thought, rubbing his face wearily. _And now I feel sick? What the hell?_

"Is something wrong?"

He turned to find Artemis wandering out of the bedroom behind him; his favourite cat in the world right now. "No, I just feel a little…off." _I've felt this before. But when? _"It's nothing."

Artemis nodded silently; he seemed uncomfortable. "Look, Corey…I know it's a strange time for a chat, but since we're alone anyway..." He glanced back at the bedroom. "I just, uh...I wanted to apologise."

_Huh_. This was an interesting twist. "For?"

"It's been brought to my attention that I may have acted like an...'ass'...lately."

That sounded like Minako. "You?" Corey let out an exaggerated gasp. "An _ass_? I can't believe it!"

"There's no need for sarcasm," the cat grumbled.

_He's right, _Corey thought. _Minako would slap me across the back of the head for that one. _"You're right, Artemis. I used to be a bit of a smartass, and it seems to be making a comeback lately...I apologise."

"Well, I can't blame you, I suppose." Artemis let out a sigh. "Listen, as strange as this may sound, I think of Minako like a daughter. I've been looking out for her for such a long time now that I can't really help it. Finding out that the two of you were...well, sleeping together? It shocked me, and I reacted...poorly." He stared down at the floor. "But, Minako and I had a long talk the other day, and she reminded me that first and foremost, we're friends. And I should be happy that she's happy."

"That sounds like her," Corey said, chuckling.

The cat appeared to smile. "She _is_ happy, Corey. She's happier than I've seen her in a very long time, and I'm glad for that. So, I guess what I'm trying to say here is…I'm sorry. No hard feelings?"

Corey nodded. "Yeah, Artemis. No hard feelings. You were just looking out for Minako; I can't fault you for that."

"Great," the cat replied. "And, if I might be so bold, Minako seems to be having quite a positive impact on you as well."

Corey laughed quietly. "She's always been pretty good at that." His guard was still up, even with their light-hearted conversation; he couldn't shake the feeling that something was very wrong here.

"Aww..."

He turned with Artemis to face the bedroom door; Minako was leaning again the doorframe, smiling widely.

"My two favourite boys are finally getting along," she cooed. "That makes me so happy!"

"How long have you been there?" Artemis asked awkwardly.

"Long enough to hear a _very _touching exchange between you both." She stifled a yawn. "But now that you've made up with Arty, Corey, can you _please _stop hopping in and out of bed?" Her lips dropped into a pout. "I woke up and rolled over and you weren't there to cuddle!"

"I'm sorry," he said. "I just can't shake this feeling that something's wro-" It hit him suddenly; _that's where I've felt this before. _His eyes locked on the living room window. _There! _"You two, get down!"

She dove back through the bedroom door with astonishing quickness as the living room window exploded in a hail of glass. A swirling mass of black smoke and ash drifted through the ragged hole and settled on the floor, slowly fading to reveal a tall, black suit of armour.

Corey's eyes went wide. "What the hell…? You died. Sailor Moon killed you!"

The new arrival spread his arms wide; his black chestplate was cracked and dented, seeping black smoke into the air. One of the pauldrons had been torn off completely, with yet more cracks extending down into the arm. A ragged tear ran along the side of his helmet, joining up with its eye-slit; there was no sign of a body under the armour. "And yet, here I am."

His cold voice was instantly familiar; Corey now remembered it well. "…Marus."

Minako peered around the doorway cautiously, her eyes widening as well. "_Him_?!"

The Shadow-Knight shook his head slowly. "Call me Terror..._brother_."

* * *

AN: Somebody hit the villain music, quick! Dun, dun, duh! So, two familiar faces make a return to torment our heroes again. Who worked out their identities when they were first introduced? Come on, be honest...lol. And yes, I'm sorry, but it's another cliffhanger - I think I've got a serious problem! It wasn't my intention, but yet again it seemed like such a perfect line to end the chapter on!

Next up: Usagi fights to defend her family as Corey and Minako face off against Terror; it should be fun! Thanks for reading, everyone! As always, I look forward to your feedback.


	14. Obsession

Corey began to move, instinctively placing himself between his former comrade and Minako. "How the hell are you even alive?"

Terror's helmet turned slowly, tracking his movements. "I belong to my Lord Revenant, as all of his servants do. Forever." There was an unfamiliar colour to his voice; regret. "I will only truly die if and when he wishes it."

Corey's first instinct was pity; they'd been friends, once, after all. Doomed to an eternity of servitude, potentially dying over and over again only to be brought back in an endless cycle? It sounded horrendous...but his sympathy only lasted a moment. _Marus made his choice a thousand years ago_, he told himself. _Now he has to live with the consequences…if you can even call that kind of god-awful existence life…_

"Now, I have a question of my own." The Shadow Knight's head tilted slowly to the side. "When did you regain your memory..._Corval_?"

He allowed himself a smug smirk; no sense letting Terror know just how shaken he really was by his sudden reappearance. "Right after Sailor Moon handed you your ass."

Terror laughed. "I almost like this new you! You're quite...irreverent; almost jaded." His 'eyes' flashed a dull red beneath his helmet. "I wonder, though…does your new persona agree with Corval's actions? Do you still cling to the foolish notion that you made the right decision, or have time and cynicism changed your mind? Can you accept now...that you made a mistake?"

"I was far from perfect, Marus," Corey said. "I made a lot of mistakes. Inviting you into the Divine Triumvirate was just one of them."

"Oh?" His former friend's voice was almost amused. "Do tell."

"I see it now, looking back with fresh eyes. You were too raw. Too zealous. You had plenty of faith; that was never in question." Corey shook his head slowly. "But you lacked control over your heart and as time passed your faith somehow got twisted into a kind of warped fervour!" His eyes narrowed as he stared back at his former friend. "There are plenty of things I got wrong, Terror…but siding with the queen against you wasn't one of them. I'm more certain of that now than ever."

The Shadow-Knight sighed wearily. "I don't know why I even bothered." His gaze shifted to Minako; she was still half-hidden behind the doorframe. "Hello, _Mina_. How's the shoulder?"

Minako glared right back at him. "Just peachy. Thanks for asking."

Corey cringed. _Oh, boy…if looks could kill he'd be dead and buried already._

"Well, well…look at you. The princess has grown teeth!" His arm began to rise slowly, his index finger extended. "I'll be sure not to miss this time!"

"Hold it." Corey summoned Justiciar and span the blade in his hand. "If you're here for a fight, let's step outside. I'll give you exactly what you wanted last time; a fight with the _real _Justice."

"How positively charitable of you, brother…but I'm afraid I'm not here for you this time." His helmet locked on Minako. "I'm going to kill your lady love."

* * *

Sailor Pride lunged forward, bringing her scythe down on Sailor Moon. The blonde side-stepped and let it hit the floor at her feet as she swung the Eternal Tiare at Pride's head. Pride took the hit on her forearm guard and slapped the weapon out of Moon's hands. They separated again a moment later, Moon diving for her Tiare as Pride retrieved her scythe. She turned to her family as she prepared for the redhead's next attack. "Get out of here! It's not safe!"

Her father seemed inclined to argue. "But-"

"_Now_, Papa!" she snapped. "Go!" She was surprised by the resolution in her voice; it seemed her father was too, because it shocked him into action.

Ikuko was clearly worried as Kenji led her out of the living room. "Be careful, Usagi!"

Pride closed in, her scythe hanging loosely in her hands. "That won't save them, Princess. This world is literally full of glass. I can reach them anywhere!"

"Your fight's with me, Pride," Moon said firmly. "Leave them out of this!"

The redhead smirked. "Very well..._Usagi_!" She brought her weapon back behind her. "Regal Bearing Beauty Scythe!"

Moon dove to the side, narrowing avoiding the subsequent blast of violet energy that tore past her; it demolished the far wall of the living room, leaving a ragged hole in the side of their house. Pride cackled wildly as she repeated her attack, splintering the couch and the bookshelf behind it.

Sailor Moon rolled to her feet and ran right at the Marauder. "Stop destroying my house!"

Her sudden attack caught Pride by surprise; she leapt at the redhead and tackled her to the floor, swinging her fist down at her face. Even a year ago, she couldn't have imagined hitting someone like this, but she'd learned well from the Marauders during their previous encounters. _I can't risk using my own attacks inside_, she thought. _I'll do even more damage than her! That just leaves my fists...and she wouldn't hesitate to do the same!_

"What do you hope to achieve?!" Pride buried her knee in Moon's stomach and caught her with a steel-plated forearm to the temple. "I'm already dead!" Moon hit the floor, immediately rolling back into a crouch as the Marauder flipped to her feet and extended her hand. "Deadly Vanity Reflection!"

Pain erupted in Sailor Moon's thigh as a shard of glass sliced into her flesh. Another tore into her side, even as a third lodged in her upper arm. She ducked and weaved, trying in vain to escape the cloud of glass suddenly engulfing her. Her hand came up instinctively to protect her face, and she bit back a scream as another shard lodged in her palm. _I've got to get her outside_, she thought frantically. _It's too tight in here, too confined...and if she keeps going she'll destroy the whole house!_

"Oh, dear…" Pride's triumphant smirk had returned. "You don't look so good, Princess."

Moon caught sight of herself in the television screen and was forced to agree. Her arms, her side, her thigh, her shin and her shoulders all ached from cuts, not to mention the two larger shards in her arm and hand. She bit her lip and stifled a groan as she tugged the glass fragment from her hand, leaving a decent hole behind. _Huh_, she thought, staring at it idly. _I should be panicking right about now...but I'm not?_

The Marauder used her distraction against her, lunging forward and burying a fist in her stomach; Moon staggered backwards, gasping for breath. She tripped over the entertainment unit, landing flat on her back. Something fell and hit her on the head. _Air freshener?_

"Come out from there!" Pride called, stepping forward with her scythe held high. "Hiding will do you no good!"

"Here! Sailor Moon Special Freshen Up Attack!" She depressed the trigger, unloading a healthy dose of spray right into Pride's face; the Marauder shrieked and stumbled backwards, rubbing at her eyes frantically.

"What the hell are you doing?!" she demanded. "That's so underhanded for you!"

Moon allowed herself her own triumphant smirk as she clubbed Pride with her Tiare. "Sailor Moon knows no bounds! Consider it payback for your little perfume attack at the mall!"

Pride's red, irritated eyes glared at her as she backed away, blinking rapidly. "You hold back a lot for someone with no bounds, little girl. Show me your true power. _Fight_ me!" Her bloody lips curled back in a sneer. "Unless you need some more motivation?"

"Motivation?" Moon repeated cautiously.

"Whose death would hurt you most, I wonder?" Pride's eyes gleamed in the dim light. "Your precious _mama_, your _papa_...or is it that _little sister-crushing creep _of a brother?!"

"I won't let you hurt them!" Moon surprised even herself by dashing forward and spearing Pride; the impact pushed her back through the living room window and they tumbled out into the front yard. Pride managed to bury her knees in Moon's stomach as they fell, propelling her up over her head and into the ground. The Marauder landed on her neck but rolled through the impact and into a crouch; she snatched up a large shard of glass and drove it down at Sailor Moon's face. The blonde rolled to the side and up to her feet, dodging backwards as Pride advanced, swinging the shard wildly. It nicked her stomach, drawing blood, and then her hand as she tried to block it.

Moon responded by swinging her Tiare again, right into Pride's exposed rib; the Marauder shrieked in pain and doubled over. Moon swung again, aiming for her head this time, but Pride blocked the hit on her forearm and drove a knee up into her stomach. It was Moon's turn to double over, and Pride didn't waste the opportunity. Sailor Moon looked up, right into Pride's rapidly approaching forearm guard; it crashed into her face, right above her eyes, and the world went dark. She came to a moment later, looking up at the sky…and Sailor Pride's wild eyes.

She raised the shard high above her head. "Nice knowing you, Princess!"

A baseball bat slammed into the Marauders back with a loud crack; Kenji cocked it back as he prepared to swing again. "Leave my daughter alone!"

Ikuko wasn't far behind him. "Get back here, you idiot!"

Pride span and snatched the bat out of his hands. "Fool! Who do you think you're attacking?!" She drove the bat into his ribs, dropping him to his knees. "You're so far beneath me that-"

A rose cut across her cheek, followed by a glowing disc of light. Pride stepped onto a large piece of the shattered window and dropped through, disappearing from sight.

Kenji staggered over, holding his ribs. "Usagi, are you-"

"What were you thinking, Papa!?" she shouted, struggling to her feet. "You could have been killed!" She was angrier at him than she'd ever been.

He seemed startled by her sudden rage. "Well, I…"

"Usako!"

Moon turned around awkwardly; she was actually in quite a bit of pain. Tuxedo Kamen and Chibi Moon ran up, both breathing heavily.

"You're a little late!" she muttered.

Her boyfriend frowned at her scowl. "We got here as quickly as we could."

She nodded, immediately regretting her words. "You're right...I'm sorry. I guess I'm a little stressed out."

Ikuko gasped as she got a good look at her. "Usa…er, Sailor Moon! You're bleeding!"

Moon nodded. "Yeah. She got me pretty good." A quick glance at her arms and legs confirmed the cuts were minor. "These should start to close up soon, though. At least I shouldn't need stitches this time."

"_Stitches_?!"

"Oh, relax," she said soothingly. "I've had worse injuries."

"Still," Tuxedo Kamen said, gently raising her hand. "That piece of glass in your shoulder is a decent size, and I don't like the look of this cut. We'll need to clean them at the very least."

Moon didn't even think about her response. "Oh, you worry too much, Mamo-chan."

"Mamo-chan?!" Kenji cried; he looked like he was about to have a heart attack.

"Oh, right!" Sailor Moon cringed; she'd forgotten he was around. "Um, Papa? This is Tuxedo Kamen. You've already met. And, um...your _niece_…Sailor Chibi Moon." She shook her head at Mamoru's raised eyebrow. _There's no way I'm telling them Chibiusa's their granddaughter right now; Papa would tear Mamo-chan's head clean off! _Her eyes scanned the front yard slowly, but there was no trace of their enemy. _Did Pride really give up that easily?_

"Niece?" Ikuko peered at Chibi Moon. "Chibiusa?!"

The pink-haired Senshi smiled. "Hi."

Usagi's mother just shook her head as she pushed open the front door. "Shingo? It's over! Can you grab the first aid kit please?"

"I'm just…going to sit down," Kenji declared, following after her.

"That was Sailor Pride," Mamoru said softly, as he continued examining her cuts. "We saw Wrath kill her. How-"

"I don't know," Moon replied. "She didn't exactly stop to explain." She winced as he tugged a loose shard from her side. "I guess I picked up more glass than I thought…" Her eyes widened as her own words echoed in her head. "Glass. _Mirrors_. The first aid kit...is in the bathroom!" She turned a fearful gaze towards the house. "Mama! Shingo!"

A terrified shriek came from inside and she dove through the shattered living room window without hesitation, racing towards the bathroom. Her mother was frozen in fear just outside; she pushed her way past. "Shingo!"

Her brother was holding onto the basin with all his strength as Pride tried to pull him into the mirror. The Sailor Marauder was leaning half out of the glass, with her hand around his arm. "Come on, boy! You're coming with me!"

Sailor Moon dashed forward but it was too late; Shingo's grip gave out and Pride pulled him into the mirror behind her. He disappeared immediately, leaving Pride to smirk out from behind the glass. "Oh, dear…whatever shall you do now, Sailor Moon?"

"Let him go!" she demanded. "Or-"

"Oh, no, Princess," Pride said coldly. "You're in no position to make threats. I have your brother…and if you want to see him alive again, you're going to listen to me very carefully. Understand?"

Moon ground her teeth together in frustration. "Go on."

"Come to Tokyo Skytree at noon. Bring your Senshi friends; it makes no difference to me." A cruel smile slowly spread across the Marauder's face. "We're going to settle our differences once and for all." The redhead faded from view, leaving her alone with her mother.

"Shingo…" Ikuko whispered. "She took him…my Shingo."

Moon reached out for her awkwardly. "Mama…"

"Don't!" Ikuko snapped, recoiling from her touch. "This is _your_ fault! You brought her here! You let her take him!"

It felt as if her mother had reached into her chest and torn out her heart. "Mama…I…"

Ikuko burst into tears and turned away. "I want him back. I want both of you back…just the way it was before all of this happened!"

The blonde brushed past her and headed outside; she felt numb...and all she could think about was her mother's accusatory tone, and the look in her eyes as she pulled away.

Tuxedo Kamen and Chibi Moon were waiting for her there. "Usako?"

"Shingo's been taken," she murmured. "It's my fault..."

"No," Mamoru said firmly. "It wasn't. If you're going to blame anyone, blame _Pride_."

Moon barely heard him; a new emotion was replacing her guilt; anger. "Pride wants us to meet her at Tokyo Skytree today at noon…but I don't plan on waiting that long." Her eyes flashed determinedly. "Corey can use his compass to find them right now!" She flipped open her communicator. "Corey?" Several long, agonising seconds went by without a response. "Corey?!" She got the same result the second time. "Alright," she murmured, changing tactics. "Minako?" After a third failed attempt, she glanced at Tuxedo Kamen worriedly. "It's no use…they're not answering."

"Maybe they're asleep?" Chibi Moon suggested.

Mamoru grimaced. "Or...otherwise occupied?"

"Doing what?" Chibi Moon asked.

"Uh, nothing!" he said, looking away. "Absolutely _nothing_ at all!"

Sailor Moon glanced at her communicator again. "No. I don't think so, Mamo-chan. I don't know why, but I have a really bad feeling about all of this. Something tells me they're in trouble too."

* * *

An all-too-familiar ball of purple fire exploded against Corey's shield, but he absorbed the attack with ease. It wasn't like their last encounter; then, every one of Terror's blasts had felt impossibly powerful. They'd battered down his shield with ease...and eventually killed him. But this time, things were different. He was just as strong as Terror now, if not even more so, and he would _not _allow him to hurt Minako again.

His communicator began beeping insistently, but he ignored it; all his attention was focused on Terror. _Sorry, whoever you are…you'll just have to wait._

"I see you've regained more than just your memories," Terror said. "You're right back to your original strength; I can _feel _it!" His halberd flickered into existence in his hands. "Excellent. That will make this _far _more entertaining than our last battle."

Corey's armour appeared around his body. "I won't let you hurt Minako, or _any _of my friends ever again. You're done, Terror. I'll be sure to finish you this time."

"Bold words, Justice!" Terror's weapon lashed out, striking his shield as he blocked. "But ultimately meaningless without action to back it up! Try and kill me, brother...if you can!"

Justice blocked the halberd a second time, and dashed in with a low cut at the Shadow-Knight's side; he blocked it on the shaft of his weapon. _You've fought him before, _Justice remembered. _He has reach, but you have speed. _He recalled Dawkins' advice for this sort of situation. _Keep up the pressure, and don't give your opponent time to recover. Terror has a lot of leverage, and can put a lot of power into his swings; I need to keep him on the defensive and wait for an opening._

Justiciar whirled through the air, lashing out at Terror again and again; the halberd was almost a blur as it moved back and forth, blocking his thrusts and cuts repeatedly.

"Interesting," Terror observed. "You seek to limit my offensive opportunities. A sound plan...if I was inclined to continue playing along!" His body collapsed into a densely-packed cloud of ash and streamed along the floor...right at Minako.

Yet again, Justice was surprised by her athleticism and agility; she leapt up and over the cloud to land beside him, her transformation wand already in her hand. "Venus Crystal Power, Make Up!" Sailor Venus replaced her in a flash of golden light and stars.

The black cloud reformed into Terror. "You're only delaying the inevitable, Mina. I'm going to kill you tonight."

Her brow furrowed as she glared at him. "Just try it, you jerk! The way I see it, this is my chance at payback. You blew a hole through my shoulder the last time we met, and I'm going to return the favour!"

His laugh echoed throughout the room. "I applaud your defiance...foolish as it is." His halberd appeared again and he lunged forward, aiming the point at her chest. Justice slammed Justiciar down on it and knocked it into the floor, before quickly slashing up at Terror's face; the blade cut into his helmet with the telltale screech of tearing metal. The Shadow-Knight didn't seem affected at all.

"You're still an arrogant fool, Justice! You can't admit you were wrong, can you?! You can't admit you made the wrong choice in siding with Serenity!" His empty stare locked on Venus. "You just chose _her_."

"Are you still going on about that?" Justice snapped. "The Moon Kingdom is _dust_, Marus! It has been for more than a thousand years! It doesn't matter _why _I sided with Queen Serenity, because it was the right choice! I stand by it, and I always will!" He lunged forward again, driving Terror back. "If you want to talk about poor choices, let's talk about _yours_! What kind of moron plots a coup with Metalia and Earth looming on the horizon?! You left the Guardian Knights divided! _You _left the kingdom vulnerable!"

"Shut up!" Terror roared, pouring a sudden torrent of purple flame over him; Justice barely got his shield up in time. "Don't you dare blame me for what happened! If you'd acted earlier I wouldn't have _needed _to!" He leapt forward, slamming his halberd down on Justice's shield repeatedly. "You let _her _blind you! You were content to just sit back and do nothing, so long as you could still bed your _whore_!"

"Hey!" Venus stabbed her finger forward at him. "Who are you calling a whore?!" She raised her hand and blew a kiss into her palm, forming a golden heart. "Venus Love and Beauty Shock!" She hurled her attack right at Terror...and watched with wide eyes as he backhanded it out of the air. "Um, that's new…"

Justice seized the opportunity and span on the spot, swinging his sword in a backhanded arc and unleashing a crescent blast of light. Terror stumbled backwards as it crashed into his chestplate, tearing open another crack in the metal; thick black smoke curled out into the air around him as he collapsed to one knee...and laughed. "Very good, brother..._that's _the strength I remember."

The Guardian Knight remained at a distance; Terror's laugh concerned him.

"Unfortunately for you...I no longer have a body you can hurt!" The Shadow-Knight broke apart into a cloud of smoky ash again, diving right at him. A swarm of Constructs appeared around him, closing in on Justice.

"What the hell?!" He withdrew immediately, swinging at the shadowy creatures as they closed in around him.

"Venus...Crescent Beam...Shower!" The blonde unleashed a volley of golden light blasts; they tore through the Constructs' ranks, but she was suddenly enveloped by Terror.

"Venus!" Justice immediately tried to get to her, but found his path blocked by the remaining Constructs. Justiciar flashed white as it severed featureless limbs left and right, but they just kept coming. Two managed to grab his arms and restrain him, holding him in place. "Let her go!"

The cloud thickened, becoming solid again; Terror had Venus around the throat, his torn helmet right in close to her face. "And now, Mina...you _die_!"

She stabbed her finger up and _through _the tear in his helmet. "Crescent Beam!" The light blast burst through the other side of his head, and he staggered, releasing her. "So you _can _still be hurt after all!" The blonde span and unloaded on the Constructs holding Justice. "Dual Crescent Beam!" Twin blasts lanced out from her finger, blowing holes clean through their heads. Justice was free.

"Thanks, beautiful!"

"No problem, cutie!" She blew him a kiss, and turned an angry glare on Terror; he was still recoiling as the smoke inside his armour curled into the air like spraying blood.

"You two are even more sickening than ever!" he snarled.

"Watch your mouth!" Venus snapped. "I'll have you know we're adorable!"

He raised his halberd. "Oh, how I'm going to enjoy gutting you..."

"Ha!" Her finger came up to point at him. "You killed the man I love! You _tried _to kill my friends! And worst of all...you gave me a _scar_!"

Justice sighed. _"_I think you've got your priorities a little mixed up..."

"I will _never _forgive you!" Venus thrust her arms down by her sides and closed her eyes. "Venus…" Her chain shimmered into existence, coiled tightly around her body.

Terror roared incoherently and lashed out at her again. Justice moved to shield her, grinning beneath his helmet; this was his first time seeing her power it up, but he'd seen this attack before. "You're in trouble now, asshole!"

"Wink Chain…" The golden links of her chain snaked down and around her arms, heading for her hands. She reached out to seize it, and it straightened up, folding in on itself to form the outline of a blade.

Terror lashed out at them again. "What is this?"

"Sword!" Venus leapt over Justice, bringing the light blade back over her head as it flared to life.

Terror collapsed into a cloud of smoke, quickly travelling across the floor to reform on the other side of the apartment. "Where did you get _that_?"

"What's the matter, Terror?" Her voice was almost _too_ sweet. "Afraid I'll put a big hole in_ you_?"

His helmet moved slowly, looking back and forth between her and Justice. "I can see I've managed to underestimate you yet again, Mina. That's a mistake I won't repeat a third time." He span into another vortex of black smoke and ash. "I'll see you soon..." Terror flew past them, out through the shattered window and into the night sky.

Artemis and Titus poked their heads out of the bedroom, and the white cat cleared his throat. "Well, _that_ was unexpected!"

Titus looked up at the roof and winced. "I don't think you'll be getting your security deposit back…"

Justice glanced up and blinked behind his helmet; there was a ragged tear in the ceiling where Venus had leapt over him, accidentally dragging her 'sword' through the plaster.

She followed his gaze and lifted her hand to cover her mouth. "Oh. Um...oops?"

Corey's upstairs neighbour peered down through the hole silently.

Venus rubbed the back of head as she laughed nervously. "Uh…sorry, citizen! That was _totally _an accident! I'm used to a little more clearance when I'm swinging that thing around! You, uh…you have insurance…right?"

The elderly man sighed and disappeared from view.

She looked up at Justice and repeated her laugh. "Oh, I'm sure he's fine!"

"Who are you trying to convince?" he muttered.

Venus' communicator began beeping again; she flipped it open and answered. "Hello?"

"Min...Sailor Venus?" It was Usagi; she sounded worried. "What's going on?! Are you alright?"

"Sure." The blonde glanced around at the ruined apartment again. "For the most part..."

"I was worried!"

Venus nodded slowly. "Well, we had a visitor…"

Justice stepped past her into the bedroom and stopped before the dresser. _I don't know why, but I've got a strange feeling I won't be back here for a while. _He reached out and carefully removed the Kanenaga from its stand. _This means far too much to me to risk losing it. _It took some effort, but he managed to get it into his subspace pocket. _That'll have to do until I can figure out something a little more permanent._

"Pride?!" Venus' startled screech pulled him right back out of his thoughts. "What the heck is going on tonight? First Terror, now Pride?!"

"The one and same," Moon said flatly. "She…she took Shingo, Venus."

"What?" Venus raised a clenched fist. "Rescue mission, right?"

"My thoughts exactly," Moon agreed. "How soon can you two get here?"

Justice shrugged as he emerged from the bedroom. "In the blink of an eye."

Venus' expression made it clear what she thought of _that _idea. "I was worried you might say that." She sighed heavily. "We'll be right there, Sailor Moon. Hang tight."

"See you in a sec."

Venus closed her communicator and glanced over at him. "Do we _have_ to?"

"Come on," Justice said softly, waving her over. "You know the drill." He glanced back at Titus and Artemis. "We'll meet you two there."

"Right," Titus agreed.

Artemis nodded. "See you soon."

Venus made a face as she pressed against him. "I hate this part…"

"I know." He wrapped his arm around her waist and concentrated. "It'll all be over in a sec." His focus turned to Usagi…and they vanished in a flash of light.

* * *

AN: So, Terror's made it clear he wants Minako dead, and Pride is setting a trap for the Senshi using Shingo as bait. Only Sailor Moon doesn't seem inclined to wait 'til noon. Next up: the search for Shingo leads to an unexpected confrontation...

Thanks for reading and reviewing as always, everyone. Back with more soon!


	15. Darkest Hour: Part 1

AN: This is the first part of a two-part chapter. Apologies for yet another cliffhanger, but the second part should be up almost right away.

* * *

Sailor Moon dropped into the courtyard of the Hikawa Shrine, followed quickly by Sailors Chibi Moon and Venus, Tuxedo Kamen and Justice. She glanced over towards Rei's room; Mercury, Mars and Jupiter were already waiting for them.

"You're hurt," Mercury said quietly. "Let me get my-"

"I'll be fine." Most of the smaller cuts had already stopped bleeding, and Mamoru had bandaged her shoulder before they left her house. "I'll worry about myself when Shingo's safely home."

Mars folded her arms across her chest. "Was it really Pride? Or just a Construct that looked like her?"

"She seemed pretty lifelike to me," Chibi Moon murmured.

Mamoru laughed quietly. "You've never seen the real Pride to compare, Chibi Moon."

"It was her." Moon was confident. "Whether it was her original body or not, I can't say…but it _was _Sailor Pride. I'd recognise that smug sense of superiority anywhere."

"Great," Jupiter said flatly. "She tried to kill me several times. I wonder how long it'll be before she tries it again."

Sailors Pluto and Saturn dropped into the courtyard beside them with their trademark silence. The tall, green-haired woman nodded gently. "Sailor Moon, everyone." She actually hesitated. "I have brought the others; I thought they might be of use, given who and what we may encounter."

Uranus and Neptune approached cautiously, stepping out of the shadows as one. Moon was sure the temperate decreased a few degrees; Mars glared at them icily, followed quickly by Jupiter. Nobody else seemed particularly bothered by their presence, but she had questions herself.

"Uranus. Neptune." Moon looked them over coolly. "I'm in no mood for games, you two. Not today. Are you sure you're on board with the rest of us?"

Uranus nodded solemnly. "Yes, Usagi. We want to remain Sailor Senshi…and we're willing to do whatever it takes to earn your trust again."

"Whatever it takes within _reason_, I hope." Moon turned to Neptune. "And you, Michiru…you told me the other day that you couldn't be Sailor Neptune anymore. Not until you were able to separate love from duty." She could already feel a frown coming on. "Did you find it that easy?"

"No," Neptune admitted, shooting a strange look at Uranus. "I was...uncertain about coming tonight, but Haruka convinced me. We had a long talk about love and duty, and..." She seemed to consider her next sentence carefully. "We…came to an agreement. The events of the other day will _not_ happen again."

Moon stared into her eyes for several long seconds and finally nodded. "Alright. You're with us, then, which means you're with us completely. Agreed?"

"Yes, Princess," they said firmly.

"Good." She turned to face the others again. "Okay. For those of you I haven't been able to speak to yet, Sailor Pride is back…and she's abducted my brother, Shingo."

"What?!" Uranus demanded. "That bitch isn't dead?"

"The opposite, actually," Moon replied. "She claims she _is _dead…but she's back all the same."

"It's not just her we have to worry about either." Justice glanced over at Venus. "Terror's back too."

"He attacked us," she agreed. "_And_ trashed Corey's apartment!"

"Most of that was you," Titus muttered.

Venus cleared her throat rather noisily as she glared down at him. "Ahem! He said he's after me this time."

"Why you?" Mercury asked.

Her shoulders raised in a shrug that was far too casual for Sailor Moon's liking. "Who knows? He's a jerk."

"I figure I'm the reason; like most of Terror's actions, it's probably motivated by his desire to cause me pain." Justice' expression was unreadable behind his helmet, but he didn't sound happy. "He's obsessed with our final battle in the Silver Millennium. I don't think he'll be happy until I admit he was right all along. Which is never going to happen."

"We'll just hand him his ass again like last time," Jupiter said, flashing him a thumbs up. "Nothing to worry about."

"First we rescue Shingo. He's an innocent…which means he's the priority." Justice turned his gaze to Sailor Moon. "I assume you want me to find him using my compass?"

"Of course," Moon agreed. "Pride wants us at Tokyo Skytree at noon…but that's sure to be a trap. I don't think we should wait. We should find Shingo now, and take the offensive ourselves for a change."

Mars wore a cold smile. "Meaning once we save Shingo, we kick Pride's ass…right?"

For once, Moon didn't argue. "Exactly."

Tuxedo Kamen frowned. "There's a good chance we'll run into Terror then."

"And Avan," Saturn murmured. "They all serve the Revenant Knight."

"I hope not," Chibi Moon whimpered, hugging her own elbows tightly. "I don't like that guy."

"It can't be helped," Moon said firmly, pounding her fist into her palm – she immediately regretted it as she got a painful reminder of her injuries. "We'll go together and end this before it goes any further. Find Shingo, Corey. Please."

He nodded and pulled the worn, golden compass from his belt. The Guardian Knight held it out and stared down at it for several seconds. She saw the needle turn gold and start to spin, pointing into the city.

"Alright," he said softly. "Follow me."

Sailor Moon allowed herself a small smile. "Let's go save Shingo."

* * *

Justice's compass led them to an unfinished apartment building in the heart of the city. The sun was just beginning to rise as they clustered around the main doors.

"I don't like this." Titus' ears flattened as he glanced up at the building above them. "It makes my tail twitch."

"Oh, everything makes your tail twitch lately," Justice muttered.

"Well given what's going on, can you blame me?"

Luna shivered; the fur on her back was standing on end. "I agree with Titus. I don't like this."

Sailor Moon looked up, studying the dark structure carefully. "Nobody forced you three to come."

"No, I suppose not," Luna answered, glancing at Artemis and Titus. "But Shingo is family...and I want to be here to help find him."

She smiled softly. "Thanks, Luna. That means a lot to me."

Mercury appeared rather suddenly at her right. "So Shingo's up there somewhere. With Pride?"

"And who knows what else." Jupiter stepped forward on her left. "I'm assuming you have a plan, Sailor Moon?"

Moon shrugged herself. "We go in, we find Shingo, and we dust Pride and Terror. Simple." She turned to Justice. "When we find Shingo, please make him your priority. Get him home."

"Done," Justice agreed. "Blink of an eye."

Venus leaned in curiously to peer at his compass. "Are you sure it can't tell us how many floors up he is?"

"Nope. It's a compass, Venus, not a barometer."

"Oh." She blinked once as her lips formed a small o. "What's a barometer again?"

Mars approached the doors and reached out for the handles experimentally; they didn't move an inch. "Locked."

"And without a clear idea of the layout inside," Mercury added, "using Sailor Teleport would be far too dangerous."

Jupiter cracked her knuckles as she headed for the door. "So we break it down and run a floor by floor search."

"I'm not sure that's a good idea, Jupiter," Venus said with a sigh. "Breaking and entering will hardly do much to improve our image-"

Jupiter's boot crashed into the doors and they flew open. "Ha! We're in."

"Way to go, Jupiter." Mars reached up to pinch the bridge of her nose. "Maybe you wanna let off a few firecrackers? You know, really let the rest of the city know we're here?"

"I'm sorry, Mars," the brunette retorted, "I didn't know any of us could pick locks!"

Venus raised her hand slowly. "I can."

Chibi Moon stared at her in disbelief. "Really? _You_?"

Mars just shook her head. "I don't even want to know how or why, Venus."

The blonde pouted. "Oh, but it's a really interesting-"

Artemis shook his head. "It's a really _long _story, Mars. Believe me."

Pluto headed forward, towards the doors. "Perhaps you could all manage just a small amount of professionalism? We have a task to perform; I suggest we get to it."

"Come on," Moon called, following Jupiter inside. "We're wasting time."

* * *

They moved through the foyer carefully; Sailor Moon still remembered their assault on Tokyo Skytree. _Who knows what kind of traps are waiting for us with Terror involved?_

"I'd suggest we avoid the elevator shaft," Mercury said quietly. "Especially after last time."

Venus actually shuddered. "Oh, god, yes. I'd rather not go through _that_ again." She giggled abruptly and winked over at her boyfriend. "Not that I minded getting carried around on your big, strong shoulders…_Sir _Justice."

He let out a frustrated groan. "Alright, can we _please_ not make that a thing?"

She continued on undaunted. "Come to think of it, that's the first time you copped a feel, too…"

Justice's voice jumped up a whole octave. "Venus!"

"What?" she asked innocently. "I didn't mind."

Artemis let out his own frustrated sigh.

Moon just shook her head as Jupiter snickered behind her. _Typical Minako, trying to lighten the mood any way she can._

Mars poked her head into the stairwell. "I think we're good. It looks safe enough anyway."

Saturn gazed around the room cautiously, her brow furrowing as her lips set in a tight, thin line. "I sense a strange presence here. Perhaps Terror?" She stopped in the centre of the room and closed her eyes. "Yes…it _must _be him. Just like his master, he isn't dead _or _alive."

"That's hardly reassuring," Uranus said quietly, following Mars up the stairs.

Pluto stopped beside Justice. "You should be able to direct us well enough with your compass, yes?"

"It won't help with the elevation, but once we're on the right floor it should get us to him just fine."

Moon nodded quickly. "Let's get a move on, then."

* * *

They made it up several floors without any hint of trouble; not even so much as a Construct. Justice's compass appeared to lead them to Shingo several times…except he wasn't there.

"Seriously?" Jupiter groaned. "What's the point of that thing if it can't get us to Shingo reliably?"

"It's very old, and it was only ever supposed to point me in the _direction _of evil!" Justice sounded rather defensive. "Using it to find specific people is well beyond its original intended purposes, so it's actually doing quite well!"

"Okay, okay," she replied, holding her hands up. "You don't need to get so touchy about it…"

"Next floor up, then." Moon let out a tired sigh. _Jupiter's right, though…that compass is kinda limited for a magical device! _Mars closed in; she was frowning. "Something on your mind, Mars?"

"Yeah," the shrine maiden said. "Them." She glanced over at Uranus and Neptune. "They've barely said a word since they showed up. How is that working as part of the team?"

Moon gave the two Outer Senshi a quick look as well. They had been quiet, that was true…but she put that down to the shame they felt over their actions. Or regret. "They're here, Mars. Helping. They've agreed to my terms…and that's good enough for me."

Her friend's jaw worked silently for a few seconds, but she nodded in the end. "Alright. If you're okay with it…then so am I."

"Thanks, Mars, and don't worry. We're all watching them a little more carefully than we used to."

* * *

They reached the top floor without much further delay. It was still a construction zone, a largely empty space with some walls completed. The group moved quietly through scaffolding and tarps, Justice leading the way with his compass. Shingo had to be on this floor; they'd already searched everything below.

"Straight ahead," he whispered. "No sign of enemies."

Moon stepped forward and pulled a plastic sheet aside to reveal Shingo, bound and gagged, tied to a chair. "Shingo! Are you okay?"

He nodded quickly with wide eyes as he glanced up at the assembled Senshi.

"I don't like this at all," Titus murmured. "Where is Pride? Why was it so easy to get in here?"

"All very good questions," Mercury agreed quietly. She lowered her visor and began looking around the room, her computer in her hand.

Sailor Moon managed to remove her brother's gag and began working on his bindings. "Hold on, Shingo. We're gonna get you out of here."

"O-Okay…Usagi."

She peered into his eyes carefully. _There's no sign of injury, at least. He must be in shock. _"Just be brave a little longer, okay?"

Mercury reached behind her back. "Oh! Justice, use this!" She blushed lightly as she tossed over a small, unremarkable dagger. "I've been meaning to return it for a while now…but we've just been so busy that it slipped my mind."

He snatched it out of the air and stared down at it. "My dagger? I haven't seen this for…well, a thousand years." The Guardian Knight moved around behind Shingo and ushered Moon aside as he began cutting through the ropes. "Where did _you_ get it, though?"

"I had it," Titus admitted. "I'd always intended to give it back to you…once your memories had been returned." He had the decency to look away, clearly ashamed. "But it turned out Sailor Mercury and I had use for it on our little trip into Wrath's sanctum...and it ended up in her possession."

"I see." Justice didn't seem especially annoyed. "Well, thanks for getting it back to me anyway." He sliced through the last rope with ease. "And there we go. Free."

"Shingo?" Moon tugged him to his feet. "This is my friend, Justice. I promise I'll check in on you later, but for now, he's gonna get you home." She cringed. "Oh…sorry in advance for the nausea."

He frowned. "What nausea-"

Justice dropped a hand onto his shoulder and they blinked away in a flash of light. Moon let out a sigh of relief. _Shingo's safe. Now we just need to find Pride and-_

"Welcome…Sailor Senshi."

She whirled about to see a figure standing in the shadows before them.

"Who's that?" Chibi Moon asked nervously.

"I know that voice," Uranus murmured. "I heard it on the news last night."

Jupiter glared out into the darkness. "Me too." She slid in front of Sailor Moon, joining Uranus in a defensive position.

Saturn's quiet voice followed. "The Revenant Knight. It's _him _I sensed earlier."

Two familiar figures stepped into the light before their visitor; Terror and Pride. Venus and Mars fanned out, moving to flank them.

"At last we meet formally, Princess. Face…" He stepped forward, revealing the smiling face of the Prime Minister. "…to face." Smoke streamed from his ears, nose and mouth, coalescing around him to form the familiar visage of the Revenant Knight.

Titus' eyes remained locked on him. "You've completely consumed him now, haven't you?"

"But of course, _cat_." The Knight uttered a low chuckle. "There is nothing left of Noboru Hayashida except his body. His essence was quite…_tasty_."

Moon flinched involuntarily, startled as Justice reappeared beside her. His helmet locked on the Revenant Knight and he quickly drew his sword.

"I knew you would not wait for noon to save your brother…and Sir Justice led you right to me with the compass of Justice. A compass that used to be _mine_." The evil creature raised his clawed hand, palm up. "I do not suppose you would like to make this easy? Give me the Silver Crystal, Princess." His ruby eyes flashed. "I promise you all a swift death if you cooperate."

"I will _never _give you the Silver Crystal." Moon raised her Tiare. "And you will never defeat us!"

"Oh, you foolish, little girl." His voice grew cold. "I have _already _defeated you." His clawed fingers clenched slowly into a fist. "The police are on their way. I signed the order for your arrests personally after you killed those poor, innocent people at that arcade-"

"That's a damned lie!" Mars screamed, her own hands forming tight, trembling fists.

Terror and Pride burst out laughing; the Revenant Knight, however, merely held up his hand, and they stopped immediately.

"A lie it may well be," he agreed, "but it is one the people of Japan have come to believe. And this time..." He glanced at Titus. "There are no Sailor Marauders waiting to be unmasked. No...you are _guilty_, Senshi…and the time has come to pay for your crimes."

"You're the one who's going to pay!" Moon snapped.

"Oh?" The Revenant Knight spread his arms apart. "Chaos _itself _could not destroy me, Princess…and neither could Selene and her curse. What hope do you think you have?" His laughter echoed around them. "I admit I _am_ curious as to how you will fare against the people you claim to protect. Will you defend yourselves? Or will you run?" He shimmered and disappeared, followed by Terror and Pride.

Mercury began scanning immediately. "No sign of anyone yet!"

"Back to the stairwell." Moon's anxiety crept into her voice despite her attempts to control it. "Quickly!"

They rushed back into the main corridor; a black cylinder landed at Sailor Moon's feet with a loud rattle.

"Flashbang!" Justice dove forward and tossed it back towards the stairwell. It exploded in mid-air and a few of the girls cried out in surprise as they were partially blinded. Several members of the Special Assault Team rushed into the hallway, weapons raised.

"On the ground!"

"Get down, now!"

Justice span around…and glanced down at the sword in his hand. "Oh, crap…" His hand lashed out, snagging Chibi Moon and pulling her in behind him. "Now, wait-"

"Weapon!"

"Open fire!"

Moon flinched as the police started shooting. Justice already had his shield raised; the bullets hit and ricocheted, embedding in the walls around them. Chibi Moon screamed in panic.

"Hold your fire!" Justice cried. "You'll only hurt yourselves!" As if to illustrate his point, one of the officers dropped to the floor as he was hit in the face with one of his own bullets. "Please, stop!"

Moon stared down at the dead man on the floor, her stomach churning at the sight of blood pooling around his head. "We're not your enemy! Please, stop this!" She recoiled instinctively as one of them fired right at her; the bullet hit Justice's shield and lodged in the floor at his feet.

Mars took hold of her arm and dragged her back. "I don't think they're in the mood to listen, Sailor Moon!"

The Senshi had begun backing up towards the windows behind them.

"We can smash our way out of here and get to the building across the street!" Jupiter called.

Mercury rushed to Justice's side and thrust her hands forward. "Sabao Spray!" A fine mist filled the corridor, providing cover from the encroaching police. The group seized the moment, making a beeline for the windows.

"Come on, Justice!" Venus called. "We're leaving!"

He began stepping backwards, eventually breaking into a run as he let his shield dissipate. "I'm coming!"

"I'll make short work of those windows!" Uranus thrust her hand forward. "World Shaking!" The amber energy orb blasted through the side of the building, demolishing a healthy chunk of the wall along with the windows. Moon didn't object; it was hardly the time for finesse. A helicopter roared past only a moment later, dashing her hopes of an easy escape. More gunfire began hitting the walls around them, and Saturn rushed forward. "Silence Wall!"

She pushed Moon back and stayed in front of her. Jupiter shrieked in pain as another bullet glanced off the violet shield and struck her in the leg. The brunette dropped to the floor as her leg collapsed beneath her.

"Jupiter!" Moon's first instinct was to go to her friend, but Uranus and Neptune grabbed her arms and held her back.

"It's too dangerous, Sailor Moon," Neptune said quietly. "Please, stay behind Saturn."

"Venus Love Me Chain!" Compared to the dramatic rescues Venus had performed with her chain in the past, this one was quite anti-climactic; she tossed it about six feet, Jupiter grabbed hold, and she pulled the brunette to safety behind the wall. "I've got her."

Justice backed up towards them as bullets began ricocheting off his shield again. "They have us surrounded! We need to get out of here!"

Venus glanced out from behind cover, surveying the scene. "There are at least six more police officers on the rooftop across the street."

"Should we fight back?!" Uranus asked. She at least sounded hesitant.

"No!" Moon cried. "They don't know we're innocent. They're just following orders. We _can't _hurt them!"

Mercury was crouched beside Venus and Jupiter, frowning down at the latter's leg. "Jupiter's in no condition to fight anyway."

Mars was pressed against the wall on the other side of Uranus' hole. "If we can't fight, then we have to run!"

"But where?" Neptune asked. "We're pinned down! We can't reach the stairs, and we'll never make it across the street without someone being hurt!"

"There is another option you're all forgetting," Pluto said quietly. Fine plaster drifted down around her as a stray bullet hit the ceiling above her; it must have ricocheted off Justice or Saturn's shields. "We could use Sailor Teleport."

"It would certainly get us out of this," Luna agreed, "but where should we go? That monster likely knows who you all really are by now, which means none of the usual places are safe!"

Pluto was her usual calm self. "We should go to the moon."

"The moon?!" Mars sputtered. "Why?"

"There are no police on the moon, Sailor Mars."

"And the Revenant Knight likely wouldn't anticipate such a move," Mercury agreed. "It's a sound plan, Sailor Moon."

"Whatever we're going to do," Uranus snapped, "we should do it now!"

Moon was forced to agree. "Anywhere has to be better than here!" She turned to Justice. "Can you cover us? We need Sailor Saturn for the teleport."

"No sweat!" He sheathed his sword and clenched his hands together; his shield expanded, shifting into a sphere around them. His voice was already strained. "You'd better be quick about it. I don't know how long I can hold this for!"

"Form up!" Moon called. "Tuxedo Kamen, you're in the middle with the cats!" The Senshi formed a circle around the tuxedo-suited warrior and the cats. Venus and Mars helped Jupiter limp over, and joined hands with the rest of the girls. "Focus on Moon Castle! We'll meet you there, Justice!"

The girls around her closed their eyes; they began to glow, and even the air around them took on a faint shimmer. Dust rose from the floor as their hair began to flutter, carried into the air by their energy. As Sailor Moon closed her own eyes, the sound of flying bullets faded away; her focus shifted to the power within her, and to Moon Castle.

Justice glanced over his shoulder; there was a brilliant flash of light, and the Sailor Senshi vanished, taking Tuxedo Kamen and the cats with them. _Well, at least they're away_, he thought. _Now I just have to hope I haven't poured too much energy into this shield; it'd suck to only make it halfway to the moon…_

He spared one last look back towards the approaching police; Mercury's fog had cleared, revealing at least two men on the floor. _They basically shot themselves, _he thought sourly. _Goddamned fools! I tried to warn you, but you just wouldn't listen. _The Guardian Knight shook his head…and blinked away.

* * *

AN: It's not over just yet. Part 2 follows right along from here.


	16. Darkest Hour: Part 2

AN: This is the second part of a two-part chapter. If you somehow missed the first part, be sure to go back and read it first!

* * *

Sailor Moon watched with half an eye as Mercury finished patching up Jupiter's leg. It seemed the bullet had broken apart when it hit Saturn's shield; Jupiter had only been hit with a fragment, but it could have been much worse. She was thankful for that. After the night they'd just had, it was good to get some good news for a change. The moon was almost unnaturally quiet...but it was a welcome change after all the noise of half an hour before. The scene flashed through her mind again; heavily-armed police closing in, guns firing. The sound of bullets ricocheting off walls and Justice's shield alike. _It was terrifying._

She glanced to her left and spotted Uranus and Neptune; they were sitting alone, keeping their distance from the others. _Mars was concerned by their distance, _she thought, _but I think, if anything, they're the ones who are concerned this time. _Moon pushed herself to her feet and wandered over.

Neptune looked up as she approached. "Usagi? Is something wrong?"

She smiled faintly. "I was just about to ask you that."

Uranus just nodded slightly, while Neptune let out a quiet sigh. "We feel…somewhat out of place."

"We screwed up big time," Uranus managed, "it's going to take a while to regain everyone's trust." Her gaze turned to Mars. "Some more than others."

"Nobody said it was going to be easy," Moon replied. "You're right; you _did _screw up." Her frown softened. "But you _are_ Sailor Senshi, and everyone will come around sooner or later. I'm sure of it."

Uranus managed a weak smile. "Thanks, Usagi. We appreciate it."

She returned the smile and headed towards Tuxedo Kamen; he was engaged in a rather animated conversation with Chibi Moon; it was impossible to make out from where she was, but the angry look on the younger girl's face was instantly recognisable; she'd been known to make the same face from time to time. _Chibiusa's been kinda distant for the last couple of days now. I'm done letting it go. It's time to get some answers!_

"…already told you to drop it!" Chibi Moon snapped. "I don't understand why you have to keep bringing it up!"

Moon was about to interject, but Mercury called out before she could. "I've managed to patch into one of the news satellites!"

With a burst of static, her computer began playback. "…Special Assault Team attempting a lawful arrest was attacked by the Sailor Senshi less than one hour ago. Early reports are vague, but at least two police officers are feared dead after the vigilantes…"

"They fired on us!" Mars objected.

"I tried to warn them," Corey murmured, "but they just wouldn't listen..."

"Hey," Venus said gently, squeezing his armoured hand. "It's not your fault."

His eyes remained locked on the ground. "I know, but…it's just such a waste."

Tuxedo Kamen placed his arm around Moon, and she relaxed automatically into his chest. "The Revenant Knight has managed to turn everyone against us, Mamo-chan. He was right. There's no way to prove our innocence this time."

He squeezed her shoulder gently. "We'll find a way, Usako. We always do."

"Avan, Pride, Terror…who knows what else the Revenant Knight will throw at us?" She let out of a quiet sigh as she shook her head. "It doesn't help to dwell on it, I guess." Her eyes wandered over to Chibi Moon. "She looks mad. What were you two arguing about?"

It was Mamoru's turn to sigh. "I don't know what, or why...but she's hiding something."

"I'd noticed."

"She won't talk about her parents," he said. "She won't say when she has to go home. My gut tells me she's worried about something…but I can't get her to open up."

"What I don't understand is why _now_!" She glanced over at Chibi Moon a second time. "Why would we send her back now, Mamo-chan? Especially with what's happening! It's far too dangerous! I can't believe we would ever think it was a good idea…"

"I don't know." His blue eyes stared off into the distance, almost past their future daughter. "Maybe none of this was meant to happen? Maybe we sent her back because _we didn't_ know?"

Moon stared at Chibi Moon long and hard. _I may not have given birth to her yet, but she _is _my daughter, and I won't continue placing her in danger_. That did it; she'd made up her mind. "You know what, Mamoru? _We _know…and I'm fixing their mistake right now." She pulled away from him and marched over to Chibi Moon. "Chibiusa? It's not safe here, and I want you to go home."

The pink-haired Senshi glared back at her. "What?!"

"Please, Chibiusa." Moon folded her arms across her chest. "It's too dangerous!"

Tuxedo Kamen nodded as he took her side, literally. "I'm sorry, Chibiusa, but Usagi's right. I don't understand why your parents would even send you back right now, given the circumstances."

"They…they said…they told me..." She trailed off, and tried again. "That is to say…no!" Her sudden anger was surprising. "I won't go!"

"Yes, you will!" Sailor Moon felt her own anger starting to mount as she raised her gloved finger and stabbed it at Chibi Moon's face. "That is an order from me as leader of the Sailor Senshi…and as your future mother!" She tried not to reference her real relationship to the girl all that often, for both their sakes…but this was different.

Chibi Moon's voice became frantic. "But, you don't understa-"

Moon grit her teeth. "Usagi Small Lady Serenity!"

Chibi Moon straightened up immediately; it seemed Usagi had found her inner mother. "Y-Yes?"

The blonde stared back at her sternly. "You will return home to Crystal Tokyo _now_. You will not argue with me any further. Do you understand?"

Her fellow Sailor Senshi had stopped whatever they were doing, watching their exchange with some interest.

"O-Okay…Usagi." A quiet sniffle followed as Chibi Moon nodded slowly. "I…I'll miss you all very much." A tear slid down her cheek as she reached back into her subspace pocket, and removed the Crystal Time Key she carried. "Goodbye…"

"Hey," Venus called softly. "Don't cry, Chibiusa, we'll see you again after this is all over. Right?"

The younger girl shook her head sadly as she raised the key into the air. "No. I can't-"

A purple energy blast struck the key, knocking it into the dust at Chibi Moon's feet. It began to glow, crackling with an unfamiliar power.

Sailor Moon whirled about to see a veritable horde of Constructs approaching from the ruins of the palace…with a familiar face in front. "Avan the Trickster."

The blue-skinned jester burst into hysterical laughter. "It's so good to see you again, Sailor Moon! I thought Sailor Pride might steal my fun and kill you herself!" His yellow eyes sparkled. "I'm glad I was wrong…"

"That's a lot of Constructs," Mars observed quietly.

Venus' eyes roamed over the approaching enemies. "You don't say…"

"Oh, but I don't fit in with the rest of my cohorts!" Avan's smiling face slowly melted away, revealing the same featureless, black void shared by the rest of the Constructs. "Kill them, my pretties!"

Several of the 'Cannon' Constructs opened fire, peppering the Senshi with black shrapnel. Moon was caught off guard, but Tuxedo Kamen slid in front of her almost immediately, twirling his cane to form a shield. The rest of the horde waded into battle; the 'Blades' swinging at the Senshi as the smaller 'normals' leapt forward with their claws extended.

"Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!"

"Fire Soul!"

"Jupiter Oak Evolution!"

"Venus Crescent Beam Shower!"

The Guardian Senshi unleashed a volley of attacks that crushed the first wave; more Constructs followed close behind.

The Avan-Construct closed in on Sailor Moon. "My master thought you might retreat to the ruins of the Moon Kingdom. He stationed my friends and I here, just in case." Its head tilted left. "It seems you've become predictable, Sailor Moon."

"You're still _just_ a Construct!" Moon snapped. "I'm gonna enjoy dust-"

Chibi Moon's terrified shriek cut her off. "Someone help me!"

Moon immediately turned away, seeking her out; a swirling pink vortex had opened in the air above Chibi Moon. She was holding onto the wall beside her for dear life as her feet swung in the air. The blonde took a step forward. "Chibiusa!"

A swarm of Constructs cut off her path to the girl, lunging forward with their claws extended. She blocked two hits with her Tiare and thrust it forward at the densest pocket of creatures she could see. "Starlight Honeymoon Therapy Kiss!" Multiple bursts of pink light washed over them, blasting them to dust in an instant.

Sailor Saturn swung into her vision, her Glaive barely a blur as it sliced through Constructs left and right.

"Dead Scream…" Pluto's attack flew past her, wreaking havoc on several more of the creatures that threatened Saturn's flank. She turned to Sailor Moon, and the blonde was concerned to see worry on her face. "We must help Chibiusa! The Construct's blast has somehow activated the time key, but it…it's _wrong_! I can't see where the portal leads!"

Moon nodded quickly. "I'll get her!"

"Death Reborn Revolution!"

Several razor sharp ribbons lashed out before her, slicing through the Construct's ranks with deadly efficiency and clearing Moon a path. "Thanks, Saturn!"

The Senshi of Silence followed up with a whirling spin, decimating yet more of the creatures. Sailor Pluto unleashed another blast from the Garnet Rod, adding to Saturn's destruction.

Moon continued running. _Just a little closer! Hold on, Chibiusa! _Suddenly, she found herself unable to move; the Avan-Construct had her wrapped up in his fingers, just like their first encounter. Black energy crackled along them and into her body; she cried out in pain as he shocked her repeatedly.

"Delicious," it cackled. "I can taste your fear!"

"Get away from her!" Tuxedo Kamen cried. A rose lodged in the Construct's head and exploded, tearing it to pieces; it continued its attack undaunted, laughing all the while.

Uranus dove in from the side and severed its fingers with a single slash from her sword, freeing Moon from its grasp. She managed to stay on her feet, breathing heavily as she raised the Eternal Tiare. "I've had just about enough of your laughter! Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss!"

Overwhelming golden light engulfed the former Trickster, punching holes through its featureless body and knocking it to the ground in a cloud of smoke.

"That…that's not funny…" It struggled to lift its shredded head from the ground, but fell back with a dull thud and collapsed into dust.

"Space Sword Blaster!"

"Submarine Reflection!"

The two Outer Senshi's attacks combined into one mass of energy, crashing through yet more of the Constructs and tearing them apart. Their victory was short-lived, however; one of the 'Blades' leapt out of nowhere, lashing out with its forearm and cutting into Neptune's side. She was sent flying by the impact, crashing into the remains of an old pillar.

The Construct turned its attention to Sailor Moon, batting Tuxedo Kamen aside with one arm as it raised the other to attack the blonde. Uranus let out a fearsome roar as she dashed forward under its swing and wrapped it up in a bear hug.

"Take this!" She lifted it into the air and dropped it on its head with a modified judo throw. She buried her foot in another of the creatures' faces, but tripped suddenly, falling back to the ground; the fallen Blade had lashed out and cut into her calf.

"Mars Flame Sniper!" The Construct above Uranus collapsed, a burning arrow in its head.

"Crescent Beam!" A thin, golden beam lanced out and blew through the downed Blade's head, dusting it in an instant. Mars and Venus dropped to the ground beside the two Outer Senshi. Mars extended her hand to Uranus. "Come on. On your feet."

Uranus hesitated a moment, but accepted her help. "Thanks…Mars."

Venus helped Neptune sit up. "You're not supposed to let them hit you, Michiru."

Sailor Moon didn't have time to smile at the scene; she had to save Chibiusa. The blonde leapt forward, past Sailors Mercury and Jupiter, and landed beside the pink-haired girl. The pull from the portal was stronger than she'd realised; her hair and skirt were already being fluttering into the air towards it. She quickly wrapped Chibiusa up in a hug and prepared for another jump.

"I'm scared, Usagi!"

"Just hold on, Chibiusa," she said gently. "I'm going to get you out of here!" The blonde tried to push off with her feet but only succeeded in moving herself closer to the portal. She tried again but was unable to escape the portal's pull. _Are we too heavy together_, she wondered. _Then, perhaps…_

"Sorry, Chibiusa." She gripped her arm tight. "This might hurt…but I _will _get you out of here!" Before the younger girl could protest, Moon span on the spot and hurled her into the air with as much force as she could. Chibi Moon shrieked as she sailed through the air and right into Tuxedo Kamen's waiting arms. Moon managed a brief smile...until she realised she was now in exactly the same predicament; _she _was being pulled into the portal above. "Uh…someone help!"

Tuxedo Kamen planted Chibi Moon on her feet and ran for Moon…and right into a cloud of jagged glass shards. Moon recognised the mocking cackle that followed instantly; Sailor Pride had arrived.

"Oh, dear! It seems your Princess is in a spot of trouble, Tuxedo Kamen!"

He grimaced in pain as he rose to his feet again; several shards of glass stuck out of his arms and chest. "Get out…of my way!"

She flashed a cold smirk. "Or what, exactly?"

"Crescent Beam!"

The Marauder dodged but not quickly enough; Venus' attack sliced across her cheek, drawing blood. Mercury, Mars and Jupiter joined her in staring the redhead down.

Pride glared at Venus angrily. "You'll pay for that, V! As soon as I'm done with your friend in the top hat!" She snapped her fingers and the shards lodged in his skin began crackling with power; he cried out painfully as he was shocked continuously.

Chibi Moon reached out, trying in vain to pull them from his skin. "Mamo-chan! Just...just hold on!"

Justice sent a crescent blast flying into a crowd of Constructs and headed for Sailor Moon. "I'll get Sailor Moon! Just keep Pride busy!"

Pride wiped her cheek against her glove and hefted her scythe. "As if you could. Regal Bearing Beauty Scythe!"

Moon watched her friends scatter as Pride unleashed blast after blast from her scythe; it seemed she'd been holding back in their battle too. Justice appeared beside her in a flash of light and took hold of her arm carefully. "Hold on, I'll have you out of here in no time."

She cringed as she prepared herself for the 'blink'…but nothing happened. "What?" Panic began to set in again. "What are you waiting for? Get us out of here!"

"I'm trying!" he snapped. "I'm doing what I normally do but it's not working!"

The portal seemed to intensify, suddenly growing in size again. Sailor Moon felt the pull on her body increasing; she was starting to lose her grip on the stonework beneath her. "What?! What do you mean it's not working?"

"I don't know!" He was nervous; she could hear it in his voice. "Uh…I'm sorry about this."

"Sorry about _what_?!"

He swung her around in a full circle and let go, sending her tumbling through the air like Chibi Moon. Mars managed to catch her but stumbled backwards and landed on her rear, Sailor Moon atop her.

"Gods, Odango," she muttered. "You've been sneaking dumplings again, haven't you?!"

"Oh, never mind that now!" Moon snapped, leaping to her feet. "Justice!"

He was stuck in the same predicament he'd just saved her from; practically upside down, holding onto the wall beside him as the portal pulled him in. It had grown in size again. _Is it somehow reacting to him specifically_, she wondered. "Get out of there, Corey!"

"My blink still won't work!" There was a rare emotion in his voice now. Fear. "I think I'm screwed!"

Moon's reply was cut off; she was forced to dodge to the left around another attack from Pride. She raised her Tiare and glared at her nemesis. "Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss!" It missed, blowing a large crater in the surface of the moon instead.

"It's not over yet! Venus Love Me Chain!" The golden links of her chain flew out and looped around Justice's wrist just as he lost his grip. Venus planted her feet against a piece of stonework and pulled with all her strength. "I've got you! I'm not letting go!"

Unfortunately, the portal had other ideas. Its gaping maw widened further and the moon dust itself began swirling up into it; Justice was being pulled in, slowly but surely, and Venus was being dragged along with him.

"It's…no good!" she managed. "I'm not…I'm not strong enough! Someone, please, help me!"

Moon glanced around; everyone was too far away or busy fighting. "Hold on, Venus, I'm coming!" A cloud of smoke shimmered into being behind her friend, and she shouted a warning. "Venus, behind you!"

Terror lunged forward with his halberd lowered; Venus had reacted impossibly quickly to her warning, but she still wasn't fast enough. Blood spilled onto the dust beneath her as the Shadow-Knight's blade cut into the flesh over her ribs. The blonde stumbled back, her free hand clutched protectively to her side.

He leaned in, 'eyes' flashing red. "Now you die, Mina…and with you, Justice's hope!"

Sailor Moon was still too far away, but maybe… "Moon-"

A flash of black tore past Terror; Titus slashed a set of shimmering purple claws across the villain's helmet, tearing a fresh cut across the face. Venus ducked under Terror's errant swing, but lost her balance…and her grip on her chain. Free of her control, it faded into nothingness...and so did Corey's chances.

Moon watched in horror as he was pulled into the portal, Venus' terrified scream ringing in her ears.

"Corey!"

* * *

"Get up!"

The voice was strangely familiar. Corey was sure he'd heard it before. Something slammed into his ribs; it felt like a boot. _Which means_, he thought painfully, _I'm not wearing my armour anymore. _His entire body felt heavy; even his eyelids. _It feels like I was hit by a truck. What the hell happened? Where am I? _

"I said get up!"

His attacker – male from the voice – planted a boot in his ribs again.

"Why…the hell…" Corey muttered, "are you kicking me, you son of a bitch?!" He forced himself to his hands and knees and opened his eyes slowly. The room was dark. _No, wait…it's not. It's my eyes. Why am I so messed up? _His head was scrambled; _something _had happened to him...but what? As he lifted his head, he caught sight of his assailant…and his mouth just about hit the floor. "You?!"

Wrath glared down at him. "Watch your mouth, _pretender_! You address a Guardian Knight!" The tall, dark-haired man leaned in closer. "Now...name your master! Queen Beryl? Or is it Metallia herself?"

Corey's blood ran cold; there was something _very_ wrong here. "What? Wrath?"

"Wrath?" The other man's cold blue eyes narrowed. "Who or what is Wrath?"

It was the armour; it was _wrong_. Instead of the black plate Wrath wore during their last encounter, he was suited in silver. Guardian Knight armour. _I__s this another of the Revenant Knight's tricks? _His eyes continued up, taking in the room around him. _The stonework, the torches…this all seems so familiar to me. Damn it, why can't I remember what happened? _A thought occurred to him. _He said Guardian Knight, as well…and I think this is Moon Castle's dungeon. Not Wrath, then. Is this...Honour?! _

He ran his tongue over his suddenly dry lips. "Garrod? Garrod, is that you?"

The Guardian Knight's eyes narrowed. "How do you know my name?"

Corey rose cautiously to his feet. "It's me, Garrod! Corval! Don't you recognise me?"

Garrod looked up at his face. "Brother?"

"Yes, Garrod! It's…" Corey trailed off slowly; Garrod was looking _past_ him…_not_ at him. He turned slowly as heavy, steel footsteps approached from behind. "That's impossible..."A familiar pair of emerald green eyes stared back at him; the same eyes he saw every morning in the bathroom mirror.

"_I _am Corval." The Guardian Knight of Justice frowned. "Who _you _really are remains to be seen…"

* * *

AN: Another familiar face – or perhaps not-so-familiar, depending on your perspective – makes a return to Last Guardian Knight! Perhaps two, if you count Corval as a separate character. It's not every day you wake up staring at your own face - what will Corey do now?! Be sure to let me know what you thought – hopefully you enjoyed the ride. Back with the continuation soon!


	17. Past Tense: Part 1

Moon Castle's dungeon had long since lost any novelty appeal for Corey. He sank back onto the cot behind him and reached up wearily to rub his face. It had been at least eight hours since he woke up in the Hall of the Divine Triumvirate, and his situation had only worsened. Following his encounter with Corval – which unsettled him greatly – Garrod dragged him down here and tossed him in a cell. He spent the whole night trying to figure out what had happened…and he finally had a pretty good idea.

It all started with Chibiusa. _Usagi told her to go home, and she took out that key. Pluto called it a Crystal Time Key…meaning time travel? _That made the most sense to Corey; Chibiusa herself was a time traveller, after all. _It must have been damaged by Avan's blast, creating the portal that brought me here…to the Silver Millennium. _It was that, or this was all part of a very convincing illusion…but he knew immediately that wasn't the case. He'd been caught in illusions before - by Terror and then the Revenant Knight himself - and there was always _something _that gave it away. Not this time, though. This time, there was actually evidence that it was real.

His sword was missing, but nobody could take Justiciar from him without his consent_. _Corey could feel even its presence when it wasn't in his hand…but it was gone completely this time. The connection between them had been severed completely, and that tied in with something Lucius had told him once. _Justiciar is the only sword like itself in existence, he said. So if I really have travelled into the past…and that's true…then my sword must have disappeared, because there can only be one at a time. Right now, Justiciar belongs to Corval, not me._ That was troubling; after more than three and a half years he felt practically naked without Justiciar. If something were to happen, he was defenceless; no Justiciar meant no armour...and no powers.

His head snapped around quickly as the large wooden door in the corner swung open. The three Guardian Knights entered, and he had to admit that seeing them from this perspective was a very different experience. Justice, Honour and Faith in full armour - it was an intimidating sight, even for him.

"Well, look at that." He recognised Marus' voice immediately. "They certainly captured your likeness, brother."

"If you ignore his age." That was Garrod.

"Quiet, you two." Corval sat down at a small table and removed his helmet. "Let him out."

Corey remained seated as Garrod unlocked the door to his cell. It opened with a long, drawn-out creak, and he gestured towards Corval. "You will sit."

He rose to his feet and stepped past Garrod cautiously. Corval's eyes bored into him as he made his way over to the table and sat down across from him.

"Well, prisoner," he said cordially. "Let's try this again. Who are you?"

"I already answered that." A frustrated sigh slipped from Corey's lips. It was to be more of the same, it seemed. "I'm _you_."

"So you maintain," Corval agreed. "There's just one problem with that story. I'm me...so who are you _really_?"

"I _am _you," Corey repeated, reaching up to rub his sore temples; now that he had his head on straight, it was time to try something new. "Look, I'm from your future-"

"My future, is it?" His counterpart let out a derisive snort. "Despite appearing younger than me?"

Right. That was a little more difficult to explain. "It's...complicated, but if you just contact Sailor Pluto, I'm sure she could confirm my identity-"

"Sailor Pluto does not attend court," Corval snapped. "Even if she did, I doubt very much that she'd vouch for you. No, prisoner, you are a liar, and likely a spy for Earth. Perhaps even this Queen Metalia herself."

Corey sighed and resisted the urge to roll his eyes; it likely wouldn't help his case. "I'm no spy!"

"No?" The Guardian Knight folded his fingers together before him as he leaned in closer. "Alright, then. Convince me."

That was rather sudden. "What?"

"You heard me," Corval said. "I'm sure you must have some proof that you're me. Let's hear it, then. Convince me."

Proof? What proof did he really have? The answer was surprisingly simple; he had Corval's memories, and that was all the proof he needed. Corey leaned forward and nodded slowly. "Alright, Corval. I can prove I'm you but you'll want to hear this next part alone. You'll understand why when I'm done."

His familiar emerald-green eyes stared right into his own. "Is that right?"

Corey returned his stare calmly. "It involves Princess Mina of Venus…also known as Sailor Venus." He knew that would get Corval's attention.

The effect was almost instantaneous. Corval glanced down at the table before him. "Leave us."

Garrod was not happy about it at all. "But, brother-"

"I'll be fine, my friend. Now do as I ask."

Marus' helmeted gaze lingered on Corey a moment, and a chill ran down his spine. It had only been a matter of hours since they'd last looked upon one another…as Terror and Justice.

The two knights left the room reluctantly; as soon as the door had closed behind them, Corval's face closed in as he leaned across the table. "What do you know about Mina?"

Corey was meant to interpret that as a challenge, but he saw the truth; Corval was worried. Despite his acceptance of his past, it was troubling to see just how much his past-self really had focused on Mina. He maintained his calm demeanour and shrugged. "You're in love with her."

"That's your proof?" Corval scoffed. "Our relationship is practically an open secret. Half the court knows by now."

"I'm sure they do," Corey agreed. "But do they know how you met? Do they know who confessed their love first? Or when you shared your first kiss?"

His only answer was silence; the Guardian Knight was clearly perturbed. He had his answer; this was the proof Corval needed to convince him.

"You first met Mina at your initiation, when she saved you from a _very_ boring conversation with Lord Tyford. You thought she was the most beautiful woman you'd ever seen…but it would be almost two years before you were able to finally tell her that." A tinge of wistfulness entered his voice; after all, these were pleasant memories for him as well. "It was the night of the Grand Ball, and Mina found you on the Great Balcony. She'd grown weary of all the attention from the _noble boys_."

Corey noted a small twitch in Corval's eyebrow; he was clearly surprised. Using her words was a nice touch, it seemed.

"Her outfit was simple yet elegant, and it complimented her hair and eyes perfectly. A pale orange gown, with a pair of simple earrings and a small tiara as the only jewellery. Mina never needed much in the way of accessories; her natural beauty was more than enough." Corey was actually smiling now, despite his situation. "She had you at ease in moments; Mina always did have her own special way of disarming you. Talking to her was so easy, not at all like most members of court."

Corval's voice was barely a whisper. "How?"

"You had your first dance that night. You didn't know how, but that didn't stop Mina. She just decided to teach you herself. Her hair smelled faintly of strawberries…and the feel of her in your arms after longing after her for so long was dizzying. Almost intoxicating." Corey chuckled, losing himself in his memories. "Eventually, she sat you down on a bench and told you a story. A story about a princess who fled her palace and fell in love with a commoner."

His counterpart nodded slowly. "Her mother and father..."

They were taking turns telling the story now; their memories has synched up. "She asked if you understood her tale."

"The law has no place determining how two people feel about each other."

Corey's smile blossomed fully as he remembered what happened next. "That was your cue to kiss her…but you took too long to act. She actually got a little mad and had to prompt you. Still, you _did_ kiss her for the first time that night, and it was-"

"The most perfect moment of my life." Corval sat back against his chair and stared at him curiously.

Corey waited for a reply anxiously. "Only two people in the entire Moon Kingdom know that story. Mina, and-"

"And me," Corval agreed. He blinked slowly, and shook his head as if to clear it. "By Selene, it's true. You really are me."

Corey relaxed, letting himself lean back in his chair. At least he had himself convinced_._ That lasted all of five seconds before he experienced something of an epiphany and nearly fell out of his chair. The Guardian Knights were still here in this time. That meant their archives were too; the Vault hadn't been destroyed yet. Sailor Saturn had told him something, back in his time. _Everything to come is meant to be_. Had she known this was going to happen? _It doesn't really matter_, he realised. _I have a chance to study the archives after all. I can't pass up this opportunity!_

His counterpart pushed back his chair and rose to his feet, stepping around behind his chair and gripping it tightly. "Why are you here, though? I don't imagine Sailor Pluto would be very pleased if she knew."

"It was an accident," Corey admitted. "The Rev-" He coughed quickly to cover his slip. "A great evil threatens…uh, the _kingdom_ in my time. The Sailor Senshi and I were engaged in battle with its forces when a strange portal appeared out of nowhere. I was pulled through, and woke up here...with Garrod trying his best to kick my ribs in."

"He can be a little overzealous at times," Corval murmured. "My apologies."

That gave Corey pause. _Marus is the overzealous one…but you don't realise that yet, do you? _That was an interesting conundrum; could he actually change the Moon Kingdom's fate? In theory, it was a simple matter of warning Corval about Garrod and Marus, and ensuring that they understood just how powerful Queen Metalia really was.

He studied his past-self for a moment. _I remember the night Garrod and Marus turned. I would have given anything to have had some forewarning. I felt like such a fool for missing the signs. _A sliver of doubt sprang up in his heart, though. This was far too important to make a snap decision; it needed a lot more careful consideration. _For now, I'll keep future events to myself. I can worry about the rest when I've had a chance to think it over properly._

Corval was staring back at him warily; apparently he'd taken far too long to answer. "I, uh, don't know how I got here, or why…but it's lucky all the same."

His counterpart's eyebrow arched sharply. "Lucky?"

"Yes," Corey said, nodding quickly. "I've been looking for information about our enemy; the key to his defeat. I believe the Guardian Knight archives hold the answers I seek, but they're…lost to me. If I could just see yours-"

"I must admit I am reluctant to grant that request," Corval replied. He began to pace back and forth behind his chair. "I may have accepted your identity, but that does not mean I trust you blindly."

_And yet you trust Garrod and Marus without a second thought, _Corey thought bitterly. He pushed such thoughts from his mind immediately; getting angry with himself was hardly going to help. Corey had the benefit of hindsight when looking back at Corval's life. _I should remember that this _is _me, _he thought, _and I made every decision he's going to. _

"Please. Things are bleak in my time. The enemy has infiltrated the very kingdom itself and turned the people against us. Everything will fall; everyone will die…unless we defeat him."

Corval was still wary; that left him with little choice. It was a dirty trick, and Corey hated to do it, but it would work; after all, this version of him had one very specific weakness. "Please, Corval...help me save the kingdom. Help me save _Mina_."

His counterpart stiffened immediately at the mention of her name. Yet again, Corey was troubled by how easy it was to manipulate him using her. No matter what the situation, he couldn't imagine ever being so tightly focused on Minako. _We love each other, but we understand our duty. Corval is just as bad as Uranus and Neptune were...he'd do almost anything to keep Mina in his life._

"If your situation is truly that grim..." Corval pulled a small key from a pouch on his belt – right where Corey remembered keeping it – and handed it over. "It makes little difference which of us uses this key, I suppose. It will open the-"

"I remember," Corey said, almost amused.

"Of course you do." Corval gestured towards the door. "You'll need somewhere to sleep. The old servants' quarters should be adequate..." He trailed off, apparently lost in thought. "I wonder...have you considered how you'll return to your own time?"

That gave Corey pause; it was an excellent question...and one he had no idea how to answer. As Corval had already said, the Sailor Pluto of the past wasn't strictly speaking a member of Queen Serenity's court. She wasn't easy to find at all, come to think of it. There was nothing for it; he would need Corval's help again. "Listen...about Sailor Pluto..."

* * *

A week passed before Corey even realised it, and Sailor Pluto had yet to reply to Corval's request for an audience. That was hardly surprising, though; they didn't know each other in the Silver Millennium, and her reputation for mystery was well deserved. Corval had only ever seen her in person once, at Honour's funeral, and that was from a distance.

It couldn't be helped; it was out of his hands, so there was no point worrying about it. Corey simply spent every waking moment in the Vault, searching the archives for any reference to the Revenant Knight. It had proved a far more difficult task than he'd imagined. Lucius' time and effort spent cataloguing the archives were wasted on him - with no convenient 'Revenant Knight' section, Corey was quickly realising he was no scholar.

Strange as it was, he wished Ami was here. Despite their short and perhaps underdeveloped friendship, he always found her reserved, quiet nature almost calming. That, and he just knew she'd make short work of the archives; she was a _lot _smarter than him, and far better at research. All that time spent figuring out what had happened to him would have been unnecessary, too; Ami would have had that time travel mess sorted out in seconds, with a suitably scientific explanation to go with it.

That got him reminiscing about the rest of his friends. Usagi would likely be bored out of her mind in here. The energetic blonde would want to get out and explore the Moon Kingdom of old, the risks be damned. Corey had to admit the image of her buzzing around the corridors was a funny one, as was Queen Serenity's likely reaction on discovering her. _None of this would bother her in the slightest, _he thought wryly. _She'd just accept that it is what it is, and move on. Usagi's good like that._

He stifled a laugh as he pulled a new book off the shelf before him. Rei would likely take exception to her rampant silliness and demand their leader take things more seriously. Usagi would retaliate, leading to an exchange of insults and name calling...but it would all be an act; their way of coping with the stress of the situation. Corey sighed quietly; he could certainly use some of Rei's level-headed wisdom right about now.

His stomach picked that moment to protest his poor eating habits of late, rumbling rather loudly. What he wouldn't give for one of Makoto's cupcakes. In fact, he felt like he could put away a whole tray of them. The brunette would likely have some inspirational words for him, too...and she wouldn't mangle them, unlike...

Corey's heart ached as his thoughts turned to Minako. It wasn't that same crippling sense of loss he would have felt as Corval; he just missed her terribly. Still, he was able to cheer himself up a little. _I bet she's mad at me for getting myself trapped here, _he thought. _If she even knows what happened to me. _That wasn't particularly reassuring, on second thoughts. If Minako were here, she'd likely give him one of her little pep talks and lift his spirits effortlessly; she always seemed to know just what he needed to hear at any given moment. Even her smile would be enough at this point.

He let out a heavy sigh and focused on the book in his hands again. This was no time to feel sorry for himself; he had work to do. As his eyes skimmed over the text before him he noted several familiar phrases, finally leading to a name he recognised all-too-well; Varelus, Guardian Knight of Justice. It was a pre-Revenant Knight reference, but that was closer than anything else he'd found so far.

The book seemed to confirm the story as told by Selene; Varelus turned on his queen, and she was somehow killed during the confusion. He was found guilty, but Selene intervened before they could pass sentence, and took him away – presumably to be imprisoned in the dying star of legend. He scratched at his itchy chin as he flipped through the next few pages. Corey hadn't shaved since his return to the Silver Millennium, and the stubble was thickening up quite quickly. If he didn't shave soon, he'd have the beginnings of that beard Chibiusa mentioned. Did that make Setsuna right? And what if he simply shaved it off again? Would that prove she was full of sh...something he didn't feel he should say? The whole thing seemed ridiculous; pre-ordained beards? He must be losing it!

"Well, well...isn't this interesting?"

Corey actually jumped - to his immediate embarrassment - and glanced around the Vault; he wasn't able to see him, but he recognised Titus' voice instantly. This wasn't good.

"I didn't expect to encounter anyone else in here, but to find _you _is truly surprising."

Corey settled on confidence for his approach, just as he had during their first official meeting a thousand years earlier – relatively. "I don't imagine Serenity's Shadow is surprised all that often."

"Curious..."

The voice came from behind him, and Corey finally spotted the now-familiar black cat. Titus peered down at him intently; he could almost be mistaken for Luna, if not for his wiry build and bright blue eyes. "You know me?"

"I might." A strange sense of satisfaction was spreading out through Corey's chest. For once, he was the one with the answers; it was a nice feeling.

"How very enigmatic." The cat's eyes narrowed just slightly as his head tilted to one side; Corey had the sudden impression he was being studied. "You certainly look like Corval...but you're far too young, and your accent is wrong."

Accent_? _Corey finally noticed it; everyone here _did _sound a little odd. Almost...British. That was quite funny when he thought about it. Who knew Hollywood was getting fantasy kingdoms right all those years?His shoulders raised in a shrug as he returned his current book to the shelf before him. "That's not really-"

"You're short on words like Corval, too," Titus observed. "In fact, accent aside, you have very similar speech patterns...almost identical. Next, let's look at your appearance. Even allowing for the Silver Crystal's wildly variable effects on aging, you are at least three to four years younger than the Corval I know. Your strange accent implies you've lived somewhere else for quite some time, _but_ you recognise me; that confirms that you and I _have _met at some point in your past."

Corey just sighed - this was very typical of Titus.

He was sure the cat flashed a triumphant smirk. "When I analyse all the information gathered, I am left with one possibility. You _are _Corval, but a future version of him...making you a time traveller."

"Your powers of deduction are as on-point as ever, Titus," he muttered. The cat's smugness was as irritating as ever, as well.

"A compliment," Titus observed. "Intended to distract me and dissuade me from pursuing my line of questioning further, perhaps?" His blue eyes narrowed again as he sat rather casually. "Why are you here? Why not just access these archives in your own time?"

This was becoming dangerous. Corey hadn't given his predicament a lot of thought since gaining access to the archives, but the notion of changing history _had _occurred to him. He could warn Corval about Garrod and Marus. He could warn Queen Serenity about Tyford and his 'Cadre', preventing further damage. For that matter, he could warn everyone that Earth and Queen Metalia were a far greater threat than they realised.

There was one problem with that line of thinking; what if he was wrong? What if by saving the Moon Kingdom, he destroyed the future he remembered? Everyone was alive. Everyone was largely happy. Who was to say things would stay that way if he started messing around with history now? Corey had given Setsuna a lot of grief for exaggerating the risks involved in altering history, but this was different. There was growing a beard a little early, and there was changing the course of history for an entire kingdom. He'd learned to trust his instincts a long time ago, and right now they were telling him that Setsuna was right about this. After all, she was the literal Guardian of Time; if there was an expert on such matters, it was her. That decided it. He couldn't change anything. He couldn't take the risk. That meant he had to answer Titus very carefully.

"The archives aren't available to me anymore," Corey admitted. "I can't reach them. Coming here was just an accident...but I couldn't afford to pass up the opportunity."

The cat's expression remained neutral, but Corey could tell he was suspicious. "And what is it you seek here?"

Corey thought about his answer carefully. "You asked me for a favour, once. Let's just say I'm keeping my promise to you."

"Truly?" There was clear surprise in Titus' voice; that was rare. He dropped to the floor beside Corey and smiled up at him, his smug smirk abruptly gone. "Well, I have but a few short hours before I must return to Earth, so we'd best get to work."

Corey was taken aback. "Excuse me?"

"We may not know each other yet, my friend, but it seems we share a common goal." The cat gestured to the bookshelves beside him. "I'm quite familiar with the layout of these archives...and any assistance I can offer is yours."

Corey held back a smile. _I may not know you as well as I'd like to, _he thought, _but I'll wager I know you better than just about anyone else, Titus. _This may not be _his _Titus but even so...even if only for a little while...he was glad to have his friend back.

* * *

Another week passed, seemingly in the blink of an eye. Corey was forced to admit he was getting nervous now; there'd still been no word from Sailor Pluto. Corval insisted he'd sent word, but he _was _a little vague on exactly how he'd done so. Her reputation for mystery in the Silver Millennium was well deserved. Perhaps she was busy...or perhaps she was just making him sweat; he didn't care, so long as she got him back to his own time before the Fall of the Moon Kingdom.

Corey was equally frustrated with his progress in the archives. Even with Titus' help – including a set of comprehensive notes – he'd yet to find anything particularly helpful against the Revenant Knight. It was all the usual information; he is a creature of evil and injustice. His corrupted body feeds on the life essence of others. Patient, calculating, and cruel. He knew it all already! Information on potential weaknesses was maddeningly scarce...if it even existed at all.

He's managed to lose track of time yet again, but Corey suspected it was late. _No wonder I'm hungry again,_ he thought tiredly. _Food, then sleep I think. _It was definitely an appealing idea. He stepped out into the hallway, closed the large doors to the Vault behind him, and began his walk back to the old servants' quarters. A familiar figure approached from the opposite direction; Garrod.

Corey felt uneasy almost immediately. Garrod and Liara had already been uncovered; he'd heard the commotion three nights earlier. From prior experience, he knew the Guardian Knight of Honour was right on the edge. _If Corval let him know who I really am_, Corey thought warily, _he might be looking for answers..._

Garrod came to a stop, blocking his path. "You."

Corey took a good look at him; sunken eyes, blank expression? This was Garrod as he remembered him before the end. A bitter, defeated man.

His tone was completely flat. "Why are you still here?"

"I haven't figured out how to get home yet." Corey moved to his left experimentally and Garrod repositioned himself immediately to block him. This was a concern.

"Home," Garrod repeated, strangely quiet. "You mean the future? _Our _future?"

Crap. This was bad. The temptation to try and save him was already strong; he didn't need this. Not now. "I can't answer that, Garrod."

"Why not?" There it was; a hint of that familiar anger he was used to in his time. "Are we not still friends in your time…_brother_?"

_You have no idea, Garrod, _Corey thought bitterly. _The way you said brother just now...that was Wrath's voice. _His sense of unease had grown into full-blown nervousness. This wasn't the Garrod he'd known for six years; this really _was_ Wrath.

"Answer me one question," Garrod continued. His cold, blue eyes seemed to stare right through him. "Liara and I, we're reunited eventually, right? They can't keep us apart forever..."

His first thought was simple; don't tell him a thing. He couldn't change the past. He couldn't risk the future he knew just for a chance at saving the Moon Kingdom. Could he? No...but how could he let Garrod suffer, either? He was here, asking for help. Maybe it wasn't too late? Maybe he could just nudge him in the right direction? Back to the light before it was too late.

"I...can't..." The words wouldn't come out; instead, Corey found himself saying something entirely different from what he'd planned. "Don't."

"What?" Garrod's eyes narrowed slowly.

"Please…just remember these words. Don't do it." He was furious with himself for giving in, but he couldn't stop now. "I'm begging you, Garrod! Whatever you might end up thinking, it will only end in pain, especially for-"

Garrod's fingers closed around his throat without warning; he'd forgotten how fast the Guardian Knight of Honour could be. Corey grasped at his hand, trying in vain to pry him lose; he was stronger than he remembered, too.

The dark-haired man leaned in close; his voice was an angry snarl. "You'd best think very carefully about what you _think _you know..._pretender_."

"Please..." Corey managed, gasping for breath. "I'm giving you…a chance...to change things-"

Garrod propelled him back, slamming him against the wall with enough force to blur his vision. "You know _nothing_!" His grip tightened further; and Corey started to black out. "Nothing, you hear me?!"

Corey had made a mistake; even as he began to lose consciousness, he realised just how wrong he'd been. Garrod and Marus were _already _planning their coup, long before Liara took her own life. And Corey had just confirmed to Garrod's face that he knew all about it.

Black spots appeared in his vision as Garrod continued to apply pressure to his windpipe. _This is it_, Corey told himself. _I'm going to die. I'm sorry, everyone...I've failed you all..._

* * *

AN: Man, oh, man...this took me a long time to finish. Chalk it up to writer's block and lots of real life commitments getting in my way. I had no choice but to cut it right about here - apologies for yet another cliffhanger. I have a draft of the continuation, and it's just about 5000 words. That means altogether this was a 9000+ word chapter, which is far too long. I'm hoping to be able to post the continuation tomorrow sometime, but it will just depend on real life again.

A special thank you to metalgear for tossing some ideas my way to snap my writer's block...it was much appreciated :-)


	18. Past Tense: Part 2

Corey clutched at Garrod's fingers, trying again to pry them loose. It was no use; the taller man's hand was locked around his throat like a vise. Dark spots began to form before his eyes as his lungs cried out for air. Still, under all that was a familiar sense of determination. _I won't let this prick kill me! I won't give him the satisfaction! _He reached back into his subspace pocket, his fingertips grazing the hilt of the Kanenaga. If he could just unsheathe it...

"Garrod!" A familiar voice rang out through the corridor; it was Corval. "What in the name of Selene are you doing?!"

The pressure around his throat was suddenly gone and Corey fell to his knees, coughing repeatedly as he gasped for breath. He'd never been happier to see himself than right now.

Garrod glared down at him silently; his fingers twitched at his side as he turned to face his 'friend'. "Nothing, brother." He brushed past him without another word and headed for his quarters. "Nothing at all."

"Garrod!" Corval called. "Stop! I haven't-"

"Let him go..." Corey struggled to his feet and coughed again, sinking back against the wall behind him. "It's not important."

"What in the world has possessed him?" Corval demanded. "I know Garrod has been troubled of late, but to snap so abruptly..." He turned a suspicious gaze on on Corey. "What aren't you telling me?"

"Nothing." Corey knew his answer was far too quick, too sure of itself; Corval had likely seen straight through the lie. He was still focused on Garrod; the revelation that he and Marus were planning to act against the nobles _before_ Liara's death was shocking. He'd never even considered it as a possibility...but Garrod's response left little room for doubt. _And I just confirmed that I know about their plans, right to his_ _face, _he thought, resisting the urge to shake his head. _That was stupid, Corey. Really stupid._

It wasn't his first stupid decision of the night, though. That was trying to convince Garrod not to turn in the first place. His little moment of weakness could have doomed everyone and everything he held dear. What if he _had_ somehow changed Garrod's mind? He could very well have returned to the present to find everything changed. Minako, Usagi, Ami, Rei, Makoto, Hotaru, Mamoru, Chibiusa...not even Setsuna was safe. He could have erased them all from existence with his blunder, and for what? Lingering guilt on his part? That was foolish; he couldn't afford to risk his friends and their happiness for such meager gains.

"I'm not stupid." Corval fell in beside him as Corey staggered towards his own room; he was clearly unimpressed with his answer. "You're holding back."

Corey suppressed a derisive snort; he _was _holding back, and with good reason...but how could he explain that to himself? He needed an explanation for his silence beyond 'it's too dangerous'. The answer came out of nowhere; he remembered one of the last 'normal' moments he'd shared with Minako before this whole mess began...

"_So..." His girlfriend let out a contented sigh as she snuggled against his chest. "What is this we're going to watch?"_

"_Star Trek," Corey said proudly. "Specifically, Star Trek: The Next Generation. It was my all-time favourite show as a kid."_

"_Aww, you're sharing a treasured childhood memory with me? That's so cute!" Minako smile was as beautiful as always. "What's it about?"_

_What was it about? Okay, sure, Minako _was_ Japanese...but _everyone_ knew Star Trek. Right? "Well, it follows the crew of the starship Enterprise as they fly around the galaxy. They explore new worlds, make first contact with alien races, solve disputes..."_

In short, Minako found Star Trek so boring that she quite literally fell asleep on him. But that wasn't why he was remembering it right now. The episode they watched involved time travel...and a particular phrase was stuck in his head. It was a perfect explanation for his situation, and Corval always was a stickler for the rules - usually. What harm did it really do to give him one more to follow?

Corey began to 'explain'. "Alright, yes, I _am_ holding back...but I have little choice. It may be rare, but time travel isn't unheard of in my time. Consequently, we've developed a specific rule to prevent anyone from unwittingly damaging the timeline. It's called...the Temporal Prime Directive."

It sounded like such an obvious lie to his ears, but Corval seemed to be buying it.

"It forbids me from discussing future events with you," he continued. "After all, who knows what sort of impact even a small change could have on the course of history?"

His counterpart remained silent. _Perhaps he wasn't as convinced as I thought._

"Listen," he said, letting out a quiet sigh. "I wish I could tell you more - I really do. But I can't; it's just too dangerous."

Corval had a retort ready and waiting. "And holding back isn't?"

Corey fought the urge to roll his eyes; why did he have to be so stubborn? "Of course it is! But all of this has already happened. It's the _past,_ and I can't change it-"

Corval cut him off. "This may be _your _past but it's _my _present and future! I'm stuck pushing ahead blindly and-"

"I _can't _tell you what's coming!" Corey had finally lost patience with him. "I _can't_ risk the future I left behind! I know that's frustrating - it sure as hell would have been for me too - but that's just the way it is! Now leave it the hell alone!"

His counterpart was silent again; Corey would have been much more comfortable with him shouting.

"Look," he said, trying to salvage their conversation. "Whatever's coming, the people that matter most to you are alive. You're clearly still here, too...fighting for the kingdom like you always have. Usa-" He coughed abruptly to cover yet another mistake. "Queen Serenity, the Sailor Senshi, Mina - they're all counting on me to make it back alive and well. If I somehow destroyed the happy future we share...I couldn't live with myself." There were several lies of omission in what he'd just said, but it couldn't be helped. He'd made his decision. The past was just that. The past.

Corval's response was blunt. "I shall leave you to your rest, then."

Corey just sighed as he watched him go. He'd somehow managed to piss off both Garrod _and _Corval while risking the future he knew so well. All for a chance at saving a man who wasn't really his friend...and by rights hadn't been for a very long time. "You're a fool, Corey...a damned fool."

His blood ran cold at a new voice behind him. "Intriguing..."

He whirled about to find Marus standing in the corner, leaning rather casually against the wall. Corey wasn't sure how long he'd been there, but he was wary of his sudden appearance. Given what had just happened with Garrod, the timing was rather suspicious.

"I was concerned when I overheard your little chat with Garrod, but I can see now that you're no threat at all..._Corey_."

Corey ignored the use of his real name. "You're so sure, Marus?"

He flashed an arrogant smirk. "You really aren't going to tell him, are you? No...I see it. You're afraid. If you alert Corval to our plans, you might change something in the future you know." His eyes narrowed. "Or is it something else, perhaps? Could it be that hindsight has made you wiser, and you finally accept that we are right?"

"Please," Corey scoffed. "I'll _never_ understand what possessed you two to-"

"Possessed?" Marus repeated the word, an odd smile on his face. "There it is. That..._finality_."

"What?"

"You said possessed...as in _p__ast tense._" A cold smile spread across Marus' lips. "That confirms it. We _do _act in the past you remember, and you've accepted it!" He shook his head and laughed again; it was the same mocking tone he'd heard from Terror in his time. "Oh, _Corey_...you're clearly disgusted by our actions, yet you won't lift a finger to help our Corval? I've gotten used to watching you betray your principles, _brother_, but that's cold. Far colder than I ever thought you capable of!"

Corey turned away, in case he said something he'd regret. "You're an evil bastard, Marus...I never should have initiated you."

Without looking at him, it was easy to imagine he was talking to the Shadow-Knight. "History shall judge our actions, I suppose...but one night of terror to save the Moon Kingdom from a slow, diseased death? I can live with that..._and_ the other choices I've made. Can you?" Footsteps followed as the Guardian Knight of Faith slowly walked away.

Corey watched him go with barely contained fury, his left fist clenched so tightly that his palm was bleeding. His only solace came from knowing exactly what became of Marus..._and _his plan.

* * *

An all-too-familiar scene played out in the barracks just three nights later.

"BARLOW!"

Corey lay on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. Garrod's tortured roar echoed down the hall, sending a shiver down his spine; he wondered briefly how he'd missed it the first time. Liara was dead, then, and Yumi had delivered her letter, just as she was supposed to. Garrod had given in to his rage...just as he was supposed to. Despite his poor choice to try and alter Garrod's path, it was all happening just as he remembered.

Tonight was the night. Garrod and Marus were going to murder several nobles and their families...then disappear. They wouldn't be seen again until the day of the Fall, when they returned to remove the final threat to the Moon Kingdom in their eyes; Queen Serenity herself. Titus would find him on the battlefield and send him to the queen's aid. They would fight, and they would die...just as they were supposed to.

Corey heard a distant knocking only a couple of minutes later, followed by faint, unintelligible voices. That was no doubt Yumi telling Corval what had transpired. Those familiar bells began to ring next; the City Guard sounding the fire alarm. Honour and Faith had already struck Barlow's estate, then. Heavy footsteps echoed down the corridor; that was Corval, rushing to Faith's door. He still remembered his thought process as if it was him running through the corridor. _He has to be in there, right? Marus wouldn't be a part of this. He _couldn't_ be. _How wrong he'd been.

There was more loud knocking; his fist pounding on Marus' door. "Faith?! Faith, answer me!"

That was it; it was finally starting to sink in now. The true meaning behind Marus' little speech; his insistence that they must choose sides. Corval was finally beginning to understand just how wrong he'd been.

Events deviated from Corey's memory at that moment; his door broke apart in a shower of splinters as Corval kicked it in and stormed into the room. He raised a gauntlet-clad finger and stabbed it at him angrily. "You bastard!"

Corey sat up slowly, his face an expressionless mask.

Corval was furious, and he knew exactly how he felt. "You knew this was going to happen! You _knew _and you said nothing!"

"Of course I knew." Bitterness coloured his words. "I'm you, remember?"

"Why? Why wouldn't you warn me? Why wouldn't you try and change _this, _all things? You could have fixed it! Made it better-"

"Just listen to yourself!" Corey cried. "That's exactly _why _I didn't say anything! You want me to _fix_ things? Make them _better_? Who's to say that this isn't exactly the way things are supposed to happen? How are you so sure that this is a problem to be fixed? How do you make that determination?"

Corval's eyes flashed angrily. "You shut your-"

"_You _shut _your _mouth!" Corey snapped. "Maybe things aren't perfect where I come from, but at least everyone is alive! At least they're happy! How am I supposed to risk all of that? How am I supposed to risk their very existences for just a _chance _at 'making things better?' Tell me, Corval! How do I make that decision? What's the answer?"

The Guardian Knight swore under his breath and turned to stare out the window; likely at the fires Corey knew were burning in the city now. He was beginning to suspect that Saturn's words to him weren't meant as a warning, but as guidance. He had already tried to change Garrod's path without success. Perhaps _that _was the point Saturn was trying to make? Perhaps it was all meant to happen exactly as it already had? Even Selene herself had told him that the Moon Kingdom would fall. Perhaps no matter what he did, no matter what he tried...there really was no way to change the past? That was his suspicion, now; Corey had been fooling himself all along.

It slipped from his lips before he could catch himself. "Everything to come...is meant to be."

Corval glared at him for several long seconds and finally shook his head. "No, I refuse to accept that! I will _not_ allow this madness to continue!"

"You'd better get out there, then," Corey murmured. "You'll have to hurry if you're going to catch them."

"Damn you!" His counterpart's eyes narrowed as he shook his head angrily. "Damn you for not telling me!" He vanished in a flash of golden light, off into the city to follow his fellow knights' trail of destruction.

Corey let out a heavy sigh as he pushed himself to his feet and headed out into the corridor, towards the Vault. He'd made the right decision. He knew that...so why did he feel like such a bastard?

* * *

He didn't see Corval for three days. He didn't see anyone, for that matter; not even Titus. That was to be expected, of course. Today was the day the Moon Kingdom fell. The cat was busy tracking Marus and Garrod, and wouldn't reappear until he came to Corval on the battlefield to send him on to his date with destiny. Today was the day Corval died...and that was a battle he had no interest in revisiting. Besides, there wasn't much time left now; he had to find _something_.

The archives were a mess; scrolls and books littered the floor around him. _Sorry, Lucius, _he thought, _but there's not much point keeping everything tidy anymore. It's all going to be dust in a matter of hours. _Corey's last real hope was a thick tome on Selene herself - it seemed to call to him when he saw it, and that was good enough for him. From his initial look it seemed to cover everything from her reign as Queen Serenity the First to her ascension as a goddess. There had to be _something _useful inside; if he'd spent three weeks pouring over the archives only to find nothing, _h__e'd _likely rampage next!

Corey was growing nervous, though he'd never admit it. He'd been in stuck in the Silver Millennium for almost three weeks now, and Sailor Pluto's past incarnation still hadn't made contact with him. He needed her help to get back to his own time; there was little point discovering a way to defeat the Revenant Knight if he ended up trapped in the past forever.

The Vault's doors opened and Corval stepped inside. He looked tired. Corey remembered not getting a lot of sleep after Garrod and Marus' betrayal, and it seemed that hadn't changed. Neither man spoke at first; their last conversation had become quite heated, and Corey was far too engrossed in his search to give it much thought. For his part, Corval seemed content enough to watch in silence, but before long, frustration won out.

"Son of a bitch!" Corey cursed aloud as he slammed his fist into the shelf before him. "I could spend the next five _years_ searching this place without finding what I'm looking for! There's just not-" He cut himself off in time...or so he thought.

"There's just not enough time." Corval shook his head slowly as he looked over the Vault. "You don't have to lie to me anymore. With Honour and Faith gone, we don't have the strength to defend against Queen Metalia and her army. The Sailor Senshi will do their best, of course, but…"

This time Corey finished _his _sentence. "It isn't enough."

Corval let out a long, heavy sigh. "There it is. I've long thought this kingdom was headed for disaster...and I was right. It really is hopeless..."

He didn't look up from the book in front of him. "It's not hopeless."

"You and I must have differing views on the meaning of hopeless," Corval murmured. He hesitated a moment. "I know you can't tell me anything...and I even understand why, but…are you happy? I mean _truly _happy?"

Corey considered the question; the answer was an easy one. "Yeah…_you _are." He turned the page and began skimming again as he continued. "It all looks bleak right now, I know, but trust me. It will all work out in the...end?" His eyes narrowed as he re-read a particular paragraph. Could that be it? What it really that simple?

Corval peered at him curiously. "What is it?"

"Oh, my god...that's it!" he cried. "Of course it is! I'm so stupid!"

"What's _it_?" Corval demanded.

"This is the key to saving my world," Corey said, holding up the book with a triumphant smile. "Just, uh…take my word for it. You'll understand…when you're me."

"By Selene, you're irritating." His counterpart stared at him expectantly. "Are you sure-" He was cut off by a familiar sound; alarm bells. Corey still remembered their meaning all too clearly; Queen Metalia and her army were approaching.

"Well..." Corval flashed him a tight smile. "I must go. My place is on the front lines...leading the defence." He turned quickly, heading for the Vault doors.

"Yeah," Corey agreed. "You have a kingdom to fight for." He hesitated just a moment, but decided one small piece of advice couldn't do any harm. "Hey, Corval?"

His counterpart span around. "Yes?"

"Just follow your heart. You'll know what to do when the time comes." He raised his fist to his chest in a formal salute. "Thank you again for all your help."

"Anything for a fellow Guardian Knight," Corval replied, bowing formally. "Good luck to you in your battle."

"And to you in yours."

The doors closed behind him, and Corey immediately locked his eyes on the page before him; this time the words almost leapt off the paper. _She ascended to the heavens as a goddess, and the Silver Crystal was forever bound to her power. _He quickly grabbed the other thick book he'd been reading - the Tome of Justice - turning to the relevant page. It sounded strikingly familiar. _The Judicial Flames, granted to the Guardian Knight of Justice in exchange for his oath, are bound to Selene's divine power. _It was all beginning to come together! Corey returned to the first book, his eyes scrolling over its pages as he looked for more answers. _A true daughter of Selene can act as a conduit. _A true daughter of Selene? Usagi was of royal birth, and could trace her lineage right back to Serenity the First. _A bridge between abilities. _Abilities? He was getting closer; he could sense it. At long last, he found three words that confounded him, yet he knew that somehow they were the key to their survival. _Divine Judicial Ordination._ The Silver Crystal...and the Judicial Flames...joined together as one. _That _was the answer.

"So, my faithful servant...you finally understand."

He turned slowly, unsurprised by her appearance. "I had a feeling I'd see you again."

The goddess seemed amused. "You are still as as irreverent as ever, I see."

"Irreverent?" Corey echoed, confused.

Her lips curled upwards in a smile. "No bow?"

He blushed and hastily dropped to one knee; she _was_ a goddess, after all. "Ah, I'm sorry, I-"

Selene waved him off. "It was but a joke. Please…rise."

He pushed himself to his feet, his cheeks still red. "You're the one who brought me here, aren't you?" Corey didn't really have to ask; he already knew what she was going to say. Saturn's other piece of advice was still fresh in his mind. _She leads and you follow blindly, an unwitting pawn in her machinations. _Selene had been guiding him along this path from day one; her interference here wasn't really surprising at all.

She did appear somewhat remorseful, at least. "It is regrettable, but it was the only way for you to discover the knowledge you sought. I am forbidden from direct interference, as is Sailor Pluto...so I was forced to improvise."

"Improvise?" It was incredible, but he could almost hear a hint of Usagi in her voice. They _were_ related, he supposed…however distantly.

"Yes," she agreed. "You were caught in the grasp of that hole in time. I could not allow you to be lost, so I nudged it ever so slightly…and changed its destination."

Corey thought it over; a part of him was angry at her constant manipulations, but it sounded like she'd stopped him from being lost in time somewhere else entirely. And she _had _delivered him exactly where he needed to be. Getting led around blindly was frustrating, but he'd take it any day over being _just_ blind.

"Now, at last, you understand. You have the knowledge you need to defeat the Revenant Knight. You can finally correct my greatest mistake, and save your world from destruction."

"Your greatest mistake?" Corey had heard her say that before, during their first meeting in the shrine's grounds. "I remember…you said you made an error in judgement?"

"Yes..." Selene's voice was suddenly full of sorrow. "Varelus spurned my blessing and broke his oath with almost casual disregard. I was furious! The arrogance of that man, a mere mortal, to think himself above my wisdom!" She let out a long sigh. "However, in my anger, I erred. I underestimated his resolve, his capacity for hate...and the Revenant Knight was born. Countless innocents have since paid the price for _my_ arrogance."

"We'll defeat him," Corey said firmly. "With what I know now, we _will _cleanse his corruption from the galaxy. Once and for all."

"I know it, Sir Justice."

He cringed at his official title. "I really don't feel like a _Sir_ anything…"

"Nevertheless, it is who you are," she replied, "whether you feel like it or not." Selene sighed again and looked up at the ceiling. "Now it is time for you to go. You cannot allow yourself to be trapped here."

The Vault shook with a large explosion in the distance. Corey remembered the sound of that first blast well. Metalia and her army had struck.

Selene gestured to the doors. "Seek out Sailor Pluto. She will come...as she must. Bring this knowledge to the Moon Princess. Together, you _can _defeat the Revenant Knight. Once and for all." She smiled a final time as she faded away into nothingness, leaving him alone in the Vault.

A second blast rocked the chamber, closer this time. He quickly pulled the Kanenaga from his subspace pocket, making room for the two large books he'd found. There was no way he was leaving them behind; who knew what other useful information they contained? Then, it was time to decide on an escape route. The safest best was to circle through the palace and head for the servants' quarters. They should be largely deserted, and there was nothing of value to attract Metalia or her army; he could hold up there until the fighting died down, and then try to find Sailor Pluto. Unfortunately, that all became a moot point on his way out of the Hall of the Divine Triumvirate; he found a group of Earth soldiers and a youma waiting for him.

"Well, well, well," one called, sneering arrogantly. "What have we here? Another mewling servant? Or are you made of sterner stuff?"

"He's armed, at least," the second noted, eyeing the katana in Corey's hand. "Perhaps we'll finally get some sport?"

"I was getting tired of killing helpless servants," the third agreed.

The fourth and final soldier laughed. "It'll be fun however you look at it!"

The youma was clearly the one in charge here. "Quiet, you fools! Just hurry up and kill him!"

Corey slid the Kanenaga from its sheathe reflexively but hesitated, uncertain of his next step. These weren't youma; they were _men_. Evil men, perhaps, and clearly under Metalia's spell, but men all the same. He'd never killed a fellow human being before. He wasn't sure he could. Did he even have it in him?

The first soldier let out a loud yell as he rushed forward and brought his sword down at Corey. It was an amateurish attack, with far too much wasted power behind the swing. Corey sidestepped, letting his opponent's sword lodge in the floor as he swung the katana's hilt into his temple. His attacker crumpled to the floor, and just like that...there were three left. He thought they were likely bandits, conscripted into the army for their unscrupulous ethics and eager sword arms; he didn't need to kill them after all.

"Damn you!"

Wisely, they recognised he was no mere servant with a borrowed weapon...and attacked as one. He dodged backwards, spinning around one thrust as he blocked another on the katana. He parried a second blow from the soldier before him, countering with a well-placed swing that cut through his patchwork leather armour and into his forearm. His sword fell from his hands, and Corey dropped him to the floor alongside it with a strong punch to the head. Two down, two to go. His eyes flicked over to the youma; it was watching carefully, but had so far made no move to involve itself.

A third man swung at him wildly; Corey simply stayed out of range, letting him waste his energy. As he tired, Corey lunged forward under his arm and reached out for his wrist. He pulled his arm taut and slammed the katana's hilt into his elbow. Just like Sailor Fury, his arm bent the wrong way with a stomach-churning crack, and he dropped to the floor, screaming in pain. That just left the youma...and one more soldier.

Corey could see him trembling from where he stood; he stared back at him impassively, and decided to give him a chance. "Walk away…or I'll put you down like the dog you are." It felt like he was Corval again; it was certainly something he would have said. Still, that was stupid. He _was _Corval, and always had been. Just his name had changed.

The soldier's sword hit the floor with a clatter as he turned tail and fled. But as he passed the youma, it lashed out with startling quickness and seized him by the throat. It stared right into Corey's eyes as it squeezed...and broke his neck.

He wasn't impressed. "You didn't need to do that."

"All who will not fight must die," it crowed. "All who try to flee must die!"

Corey looked it over. The easiest way for him to describe it was a tall, bipedal bear with a snake's head. It looked almost comical, but the claws on its fingers were sharp, and he wasn't wearing his armour. This was a far more dangerous opponent than the three men he'd just fought, but he had to get past it in order to get outside. There was nothing left to do, then, except this. _Dawkins' sixth rule; never fight angry...but do everything you can to make your opponent_ _mad__! _"Alright, snowflake...you want to fight someone? Let's do this. Unless you don't have the stomach for a real fight?"

It snarled and lunged forward. Corey dove to the side, caught off-guard again by its speed. Pain flared up in his shoulder as one of its claws tore into his flesh. He'd have to be more careful; he couldn't afford to take many more hits like that.

"Foolish little moon man," it sneered. "I'm going to enjoy eviscerating you!"

"That's funny," he retorted. "I was just thinking exactly the same thing!" He dashed forward and slashed at it carefully, doing his best to keep it on the defensive. The youma tried to counterattack, and he swung on reflex, severing a finger. It roared in pain and dove at him with no regard for its own safety; he stabbed it in the chest but it still hit him with a massive, furred hand. Corey sailed through the air and crashed into a pillar, pain exploding in his back as he hit the floor. He hadn't heard a crunch or a crack but it felt like no other pain he'd ever experienced...except perhaps being killed by Terror.

"What...did I...tell you?" The youma staggered over, purple blood pouring from the hole in its chest. "Now...I, the mighty Gorash...get to eviscerate you!"

Corey forced himself to his feet, ignoring his back's protests, and got ready to face it again. "The truly mighty don't need to remind everyone else how mighty they are, you idiot!"

'Gorash' snarled and lunged forward once more, his claws aimed right at Corey's chest. He dodged to the side at the last minute and cut up with the katana. The snake head hit the floor, severed with ease; more blood spurted from the stump of the youma's neck as it teetered and finally fell to the floor. Corey didn't allow himself any celebration, instead pushing open the large door before him and entering the palace proper.

He dashed down deserted corridors and finally out into the gardens. A fire raged in the city as a great black mass of energy drifted ever closer. Piercing blue eyes opened under an odd, cross-like pattern; this was Queen Metalia herself. She laughed, the terrifying sound echoing across the gardens. She was a great threat, it was true...and yet she seemed almost inconsequential. All of this had happened before. Corey knew she was sealed away by Queen Serenity, and finally destroyed by Sailor Moon a thousand years later. That knowledge robbed her of her fearsome aura.

As he moved cautiously through the burning gardens, he caught sight of a familiar uniform. "Oh, damn it…" Corey looked down at the crumpled body of Sailor Mars; her raven hair was strewn about, but she looked almost peaceful - as if she were just sleeping. Once again, he reminded himself that this was the past; it had already happened. It didn't help much, and he tore his eyes away, unwilling to look at her anymore. In hindsight, he'd wish he kept staring at Sailor Mars. He saw the familiar orange of her skirt, first...followed by the flutter of her golden blonde hair.

"I don't want to see this..." His voice was barely a whisper but despite his words his feet seemed to be moving of their own accord. He took one step forward, then another, and another...towards Sailor Venus; leader of the Guardian Sailor Senshi...and the woman he loved. She wasn't dead. Not yet, at least. Her pale blue eyes stared off into the distance, but drifted over to focus on him as he drew near. Corey wanted nothing more than to turn and run in the opposite direction, but his legs continued moving on their own, pulling him along with them until at last he stood over her. There was a ragged tear in her chest, blood spilling out and staining her torn uniform. Her full lips parted slightly as she took in a ragged breath, more blood seeping out from between them. Her perfect skin was marred with dirt, and scuffs, and yet more blood; Corey felt sick just looking at her...but she was still the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen.

"Corval…" Her voice was quiet, barely there. "You're…alive?"

She was on death's door, barely conscious anymore; Venus was seeing him as _her _Corval, despite the differences in their appearance. Corey swallowed past the lump in his throat and nodded faintly as he knelt by her side. "Yes, Mina. I'm here." Her gloved hand rose slowly, trembling as she struggled even to lift it. He reached out and carefully took hold of it, squeezing it gently.

"I'm…glad," she whispered. "I feared…you were dead...and I didn't want…to go…without saying goodbye…" Her lips curled up in a small smile.

It was radiant, even now; he idly brushed a tear away from his cheek and forced himself to return her smile. "I'm with you. I'm not going anywhere."

A tear slid down her own cheek, followed by another, and it broke his heart; he'd always hated seeing her cry. "I wish…it didn't have to end…like this. I wanted...to stay with you…forever…"

Corey knew she wasn't technically _his _Mina, not anymore...but he wasn't going to leave her to die alone and afraid. He reached out and brushed the cheers from her cheeks. "Come on...you're far too beautiful to cry."

Her smile widened, even as her tears continued to fall. "I just...I'm going to miss you..."

He pushed a stray lock of hair out of her eyes, and stroked her cheek softly. It was technically a change - all of this was - but Venus wasn't going to live long enough to change time herself. After all...he really couldn't stand seeing her cry. "It's alright. I'm not sad, Mina...because we're going to find each other again. It's going to take a thousand years, and then a few more...but we _will_ be reunited."

Her grip on his hand was growing ever weaker; she was nearly gone now. "I love you..."

Corey brought her hand up to his lips, and kissed it gently. "And I love you…my goddess."

Venus' eyes glassed over; she was looking _through_ him now. One final, ragged breath slipped from between her lips...and she was still.

He reached up to wipe more tears from his eyes; he was glad nobody else was here to see him lose control like this. "Damn it, Corey...she's not your Mina, you idiot. Get a hold of yourself!" The little part of him that still identified as Corval replied immediately. _But she was..._

A violet tremor rocked the courtyard around him; Corey had been so caught up in comforting Venus that he'd almost forgotten where he was. He looked up see Metalia herself closing in on the palace. That made sense; she wanted the Silver Crystal and it was currently with Queen Serenity in the Chamber of Prayer. Right in the heart of Moon Castle. It all seemed so pointless now. If Corval wasn't dead yet, he soon would be...and Queen Serenity would use the crystal's power to send everyone on to the future…and their destinies.

Sure enough, as the evil entity reached out for the castle, a brilliant burst of white light erupted from the palace. It rippled out in every direction at once, like an orb. The light was intense, enough to blind him and force him to cover his eyes. An impossibly loud shriek echoed around him; it had to be Metalia. Corey opened his eyes cautiously and saw no trace of the evil queen...or her forces for that matter. There was no sound around him at all. He realised absently that the Moon Kingdom now sounded like the moon in his time; silent as a tomb. A quick glance down at his feet confirmed that Venus was gone; Queen Serenity had sealed Metalia and her forces away, and given everyone else their second chance. Just like that, it was all over...and he was alone. An odd sensation of power suddenly washed over him; it was familiar, like he hadn't even noticed its absence until it returned.

"I wonder if..." Corey extended his hand and Justiciar appeared in a flash of light. Of course; with his past-self dead the sword was his again. He had to admit, he found its presence comforting. It was the only familiarity he had left now that everyone else was gone. He breathed a heavy sigh and headed back towards the palace...hold on. Corey's eyes narrowed as he realised he'd nearly missed the obvious. Moon Castle still stood. Much of the city did, too, despite the raging fires. How was that possible? He'd seen this place in his own time, and it was a crumbled ruin. What had changed? Had _he _changed something somehow? Pluto would know...if he could ever find her. There was still no sign of her. He hadn't seen _any _of the Outer Senshi, come to think of it. Why hadn't they come to help in the battle? If Uranus and Neptune were even half as strong as their present-day incarnations, they could have helped immensely. Perhaps even enough to...no. Corey realised he was fooling himself. Nothing could have stopped the fall of the Moon Kingdom. Metalia was just too strong.

He was lost so deep in his thoughts that he almost didn't hear her. Almost. "Hello, Corey."

A tall, green-haired woman holding a staff had appeared behind him when he wasn't looking. He remembered Setsuna's love of scaring Minako and shook his head; old habits die hard, indeed. This Sailor Pluto looked exactly the same as the one he knew; the same age, the same neutral expression. Identical. "You know me?"

She shook her head gently. "Not at all. This is our first meeting…from _my _perspective, of course."

Corey was confused again. "But you know my name?"

"I know a great many things," Pluto replied. She was enigmatic as ever. "Consider it a benefit of standing watch at the Space-Time Door…and a curse. I may watch, and I may learn…but I may never interfere."

He had to admit that did sound frustrating.

"So, yes...I know your name because I knew you were coming. Just as you always have."

"Just as I always have?" This was giving him a headache. "But I don't remember meeting a younger me when _I _was Corval."

"Of course not." She said it like it was simple; she hadn't changed much in the thousand years before he met Setsuna. "You hadn't lived through these events yet; your personal timeline is now being rewritten. Corval's new memories will be yours soon enough. Try not to think about it."

That sounded like good advice. "Why didn't you come to me sooner?"

"Because you hadn't yet found the information you sought," Pluto replied. "Would you have left if I'd arrived sooner?"

Corey was forced to concede she had another good point. "No...so I suppose it would have been a waste of your time."

"Precisely." She actually managed a faint smile. "Despite what many may think, my time is quite valuable. I do have other duties beyond simply staring into the Space-Time Door!"

Corey didn't reply; he'd noticed two figures in the distance. Sailors Uranus and Neptune, or their former incarnations to be precise. They stood at the far end of the courtyard, and seemed to be staring at him and Pluto. The Guardian of Time made no effort to acknowledge them, or the fact that they appeared to be glowing. He clarified his own mistake a moment later; the objects in their hands were glowing. Uranus' sword and Neptune's mirror. A quick glance back to Sailor Pluto confirmed that the Garnet Rod was doing the same thing. What was going on?

She anticipated his question. "We are not supposed to be here. Not all at the same time, at least, and our talismans are reacting to one another. Soon Sailor Saturn will be summoned…to do what she must."

Sailor Saturn? What did she have to do with any of this? He remembered her being absent his entire time at the palace. Nobody even mentioned her. "What must she do?"

"What she must," Pluto repeated, abruptly turning on her heel and walking towards Moon Castle itself. "It is unimportant."

_Goddamn it_, Corey thought. _She's even worse in the past! _He followed along behind her and decided to ask a different question that was weighing on his mind. "Why isn't this place a crumbled ruin? It's practically intact, and there's no wind or erosion to damage things further..." He trailed off, almost afraid to ask. "Did I…change something?"

"That too is unimportant; don't concern yourself with such thoughts. The Moon Kingdom will pass into history soon enough...and all will be as it should."

They ended up on the Great Balcony, and Corey looked out over the remains of the kingdom below; fires burned bright in the city, casting a dim, eerie light over everything. It somehow seemed even quieter up here. More disconnected from the world around them.

"This is a great tragedy," Pluto observed, "but I'm afraid nobody is immune to hubris. Not even Queen Serenity herself."

Queen Serenity...she was dead now, too. He wouldn't see her again for a thousand years, and even then it would be as a computer program. "She tried…" Corey managed to keep his voice calm. "She always did what she thought was right for her kingdom, right up until the end." He let out a heavy sigh. "If only I'd been more vigilant...and done a better job of keeping the Guardian Knights together. Maybe, with all three of us-"

Pluto actually smiled again. "I do not deal in what-ifs, Corey. To do so knowing the things I do would drive me mad."

He nodded silently, stepping forward towards the railing. Something had changed below; there was a third figure standing before Uranus and Neptune. He recognised her uniform _and _her unique weapon immediately. "Sailor Saturn. This is the first time I've ever seen her in the Silver Millennium. Why-"

"The time has come," Pluto snapped quickly. "You must go. _Now_!"

A glowing violet doorway in space and time opened behind him…but Corey hesitated. "What's going on? What is it you're trying to hide from me? Why is Saturn's presence here such a big deal?"

He got his answer just a moment later. Saturn looked up, seeming to stare right at him...and Uranus and Neptune bowed their heads. Saturn bowed her head too...and the Senshi of Silence dropped her Glaive. It hit the ground and a great plume of dust erupted around her; the three Senshi were consumed in an instant, lost in the swirling maelstrom. A shockwave spread out, levelling everything in its path. Corey recoiled in horror as the dust cloud approached._ This is the power Sailor Saturn commands? She was the one who destroyed the Moon Kingdom? Why? Why would she-_

_"_You have to go now!" Pluto shoved him back into the portal just as the shockwave struck the Great Balcony; there was a disorienting feeling like falling...and everything went black around him.

* * *

"Hey, Tinman…are you okay?"

Corey groaned and opened his eyes; he swore under his breath as a blinding light threatened to burn his retinas. It faded slowly...revealing the frowning face of Sailor Uranus.

"Where the hell have you been?" she asked.

"Around…" His brain felt foggy, like he was just waking up.

"Well your girlfriend's been worried sick." Uranus folded her arms across her chest. "Usagi, too..._and_ the others!"

He sat up cautiously, and winced as his injured back cramped up immediately. The familiar ruins of the Moon Kingdom lay around him; everything looked the same, at least.

"We managed to drive Pride and Terror off," Neptune explained, stepping into his vision. "But even Pluto had no idea where you'd been taken."

_...a great cloud of dust spread out from the Silence Glaive, tearing into tree, and grass, and stone alike. It demolished everything in its path, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. It hit the Great Balcony before him, as Pluto shoved him backwards..._

"Seriously," Uranus said, her brow furrowing as she peered at him carefully. "What's going on with you? You just went pale!"

"It was her..." he murmured. "Saturn...she did this. _She _destroyed the Moon Kingdom?"

Neptune blinked slowly. "Yes. I thought you knew that?"

He was about to reply when a third, quieter voice cut him off. "Y-You saw...didn't you?" Sailor Saturn stood off the side; she looked terrified. "She saw you...standing on the balcony with Pluto. And you saw her! You saw what she did!" Her voice was growing steadily more panicked.

Corey was still confused, but she didn't seem like a monster. She was the same girl who he'd managed to make smile, and laugh. The same girl who had a crush on him. And he'd just hurt her with his clumsy words. "Hotaru, I..."

A tear slid down her cheek, followed quickly by more. "Now you're going to hate me! Just like the others did!" She turned and ran...leaving Corey feeling like utter garbage. The pain in his back was suddenly immaterial. He didn't even think about; he just acted on instinct...and ran after her.

"Hotaru! Wait!"

* * *

AN: My...god. This has got to be the most I've ever struggled to finish a chapter. I thought I was done with writer's block after I finished the draft, but wow, was I wrong! There's almost nothing left of that original draft in here at all - I must have rewritten most of it at least twice! But I'm done. This is as close as I could get to the story the way it was in my head, and I hope it was worth the wait. I originally intended for Corey to encounter Mina _before_ the battle, but I thought it was a pretty pointless scene - I ended up adding a couple of lines of dialogue from that exchange into her 'death scene'.

Most of this chapter was about Corey realising that the past is the past - it happened - and realising that even if he did try to change something, time would likely correct itself anyway. That seems to be a common theme in the original anime; no matter what they do differently (arguably, Chibiusa's presence and their foreknowledge of Crystal Tokyo SHOULD have changed the future in some way) time always seemed to figure out a way to ensure that events happen as they were supposed to. I admit to taking a little bit of inspiration from Doctor Who with regards to the Fall of the Moon Kingdom. I see it as a fixed point in history - it was always meant to happen, so Usagi and the others could be reborn in the present and go on to found Crystal Tokyo in _their _future. It has a nice, circular feel to it.

Anyway...what seemed like a really good idea on paper turned into a complete mindf**k while writing it, and I'm honestly glad to be done. The main plot has advanced - more on Divine Judicial Ordination (thanks, metalgear!) to come - and Corey's gotten a few last little bits of character development. So, mission accomplished! Now, back to the present, and more drama! Thanks in advance for your reviews and messages :)


	19. Mediation

"Hotaru! Wait!" Corey ran after the girl, leaving a surprised Uranus and Neptune behind. She was a lot faster than he would've given her credit for, though, and he quickly fell behind. What a fine mess he found himself in. How could he have been so careless? Post-portal confusion be damned; that was no excuse. He should have thought everything through before he opened his big mouth. Hotaru was naturally shy and socially awkward…and there was the small matter of her crush on him as well; it was no wonder she'd panicked and jumped to conclusions.

There; she'd ducked around a pile of rubble. Corey wasn't as far behind as he thought. As he headed round the same corner, however, the muscles in his back cramped up painfully and he tripped over a small stone. The dusty, grey ground rushed up to meet him and he landed flat on his face. A painful groan followed as he tried to push himself back to his feet and his back locked up a second time. _Still, _he thought, _at least there was nobody around to see that…_

"Usagi would be proud of that one!"

A smile spread across his face immediately despite his situation; Corey would recognise her voice anywhere. He opened his eyes and found himself staring at a familiar pair of orange shoes. His eyes continued up an equally familiar pair of well-toned legs and on to...

Sailor Venus rolled her eyes and shook her head in mock irritation. "Really?"

Corey dropped his gaze to the ground again, his cheeks burning; the Senshi's skirts really didn't cover much…especially at this kind of angle.

"I know I'm beautiful, Corey, but could I at least get a hello before you start ogling me?"

He made it to his feet with more than a little difficulty and wrapped her up in a tight hug. "Hello."

Minako practically melted against him as her own arms came up around his back. "Hi."

Corey dipped his head and pressed his lips to hers in a gentle kiss that Minako seemed more than willing to return. "God, I missed you."

"I thought I'd lost you," she whispered, returning her cheek to his chest. "Pluto refused to tell us a thing! She just kept saying you were 'elsewhere in time'…"

His fingertips brushed over her spine gently as he placed another kiss on the top of her head. "It'll take more than some stupid time portal to tear me away from you, Minako."

She sighed contentedly. "Where were you, anyway?"

"Believe it or not…the Silver Millennium."

"What?" She pulled away in surprise. "Then…at the end, when I was…" It seemed she couldn't quite bring herself to say 'dying'. "That really _was _you?"

Corey smiled as he reached out to brush her cheek. "I couldn't just leave you there to die alone. You needed me...how could I resist?"

Minako pressed against him again. "You stayed with me. Held my hand, told me it was all going to be alright…" She abruptly pulled him down for another kiss. "I love you, Corey. You know that, right?"

He nodded gently. "I know, Minako…and I love you too."

She let out a soft giggle. "I can't believe it was you all this time though! I always thought you were just a hallucination; a symptom of blood loss or something." Her hand came up to brush over his cheek. "I _did_ find the beard a bit random, now that I think about it. You didn't grow it just for Chibiusa, did you?"

Corey let out a laugh of his own. "Nah. There just wasn't a lot of time to shave."

"Time…" Minako stared at his beard for a moment, and put two and two together. "Wait. It's only been two hours since you left." She frowned. "But that's…it was longer for you, wasn't it?"

"Three weeks."

"Three _weeks_?" She sputtered out several incomprehensible words before regaining control over her voice. "Two _hours_, Corey! I feel so selfish for missing you now, knowing you were gone for so long!"

"It's fairly safe to say I missed you," he admitted. "Hell, I missed everyone. Even Haruka!"

Minako burst out laughing. "Oh, my god, you should totally tell her that! It would make her day, I'm sure of it!" Her dry tone made it clear what she _really _thought of that idea. "Still…three _weeks_?!"

Corey shrugged, and immediately regretted it as pain lanced up his back. "Time travel, huh? What're you gonna do?"

She slapped him on the arm playfully. "Don't be so blasé about it, mister. It's a big deal!" Her gaze dropped to the impression he'd left in the dust at their feet. "Speaking of big deals, where were you running to so fast?"

"Oh, damn it!" His hand hit his forehead hard. "I got distracted. Hotaru!"

Minako blinked a few times in confusion. "Hotaru?"

"Yeah, Hotaru. She thinks I hate her…"

"What? Why?" His girlfriend planted her hands on her hips and glared up at him suspiciously. "What did you do, Corey?!"

His hands came up in protest. "Hold on! Why do you automatically assume it was _my_ fault?"

She folded her arms across her chest and raised an eyebrow. "Do you even have to ask?"

Minako had a point. "Right…it usually is." He reached up, pinching the bridge of his nose as he out let out a sharp sigh. "I saw her, Minako. I watched Sailor Saturn destroy what was left of the Moon Kingdom literally seconds before I returned to our time. In my initial confusion after waking up…I blurted it out. Hotaru just jumped to conclusions and ran off. I went after her and-"

"Fell flat on your face?" she offered, smiling cheerfully.

"I was gonna go with tried to reason with her," Corey muttered. "But sure, that works too…"

Minako looked over her shoulder, back towards the distant ruin of Moon Castle. "First Chibiusa runs off, and now Hotaru. What is going on?"

"Chibiusa?" That was news to Corey. "What happened?"

She shook her head. "It doesn't matter. The others are looking for her already; that's what I was doing when I found you. We should find Hotaru first. If Terror and Pride come back…"

That was an unpleasant thought. "Right." Corey took a step forward…and brought his hand up to rub the back of his head. "I don't suppose you saw which way she went?"

His girlfriend shot him another look of confusion. "Seriously?"

"What?"

Her brow furrowed. "Aren't you forgetting something, cutie?"

Minako wasn't the only one who was confused; Corey's head was starting to hurt. "What?"

The blonde shook her head and sighed heavily. "Compass."

Corey slapped his forehead for the second time as she burst into another fit of giggles. He quickly retrieved it from his subspace pocket and stared down at it, focusing his thoughts on Hotaru. The needle shone a bright gold and began to turn almost immediately. "Alright. It looks like she went this way…"

* * *

They found Hotaru a couple of minutes later. The dark-haired girl was sitting on a large, fallen pillar with her back to them; her shoulders jerked up and down in time with her sobs. Corey felt like a real piece of sh…something unpleasant. This was his fault, however unintentional it may have been. Still, he had to just stand back and wait. Minako had already told him to let her handle the initial talking, and he was more than happy to oblige.

She closed the gap between them slowly, moving up and around the pillar. "Hi, Hotaru. Do you mind if I sit with you?"

Her only response was a wordless shrug; it seemed Hotaru wasn't in the mood to talk.

Minako slid onto the stone beside her and pulled her legs up beneath her. "So…you're worried about Corey, huh?"

"He was there." There was a plaintive quality to her voice; it was almost a whimper. "Corey saw her. Sailor Saturn. He saw what she did. He watched her destroy it all…and now he hates me." There was a surprising amount of bitterness in her voice. "Just like everyone always does when they find out…"

Corey's heart went out to her. It sounded like Hotaru's life hadn't exactly been pleasant up to this point.

"Hey…come on." Minako reached out tentatively and placed her arm around Hotaru's shoulders. "I happen to know for a fact that Corey doesn't hate you."

"He…he doesn't?" The younger girl reached up to wipe her eyes. "Are you sure?"

"Positive," Minako said, flashing a beaming smile. "He was just surprised. And kinda confused." She leaned in closer. "You've seen how he gets around girls. Awkward, right? Throw in time travel and-"

He cleared his throat loudly; that was _quite _enough of that. Hotaru's head snapped around to face him.

Minako tossed him a wink. "Ask him yourself."

Corey smiled nervously back at Hotaru. "Hey."

"You don't hate me?" It was really more of a plea than a question.

"Not at all," he assured her. "Where would you even get a crazy idea like that?"

She still wouldn't make eye contact. "It's what normally happens when people learn about my past…"

Corey was a little surprised; that was the first time he could recall Hotaru referring to Sailor Saturn directly as 'herself'.

"Even Haruka and Michiru hated me at first…"

The slight crack in her voice only added to his own guilt, and the saddest thing was he could actually see the two Outer Senshi responding that way. They could definitely be a little…severe; their initial response to _his_ appearance in Tokyo was proof enough of that. "How could I hate you? Yes, you're Sailor Saturn, but you're also Hotaru…and you're my friend."

"Friend…" She didn't seem particularly thrilled with that.

Corey decided it was safe enough to take a couple of steps forward. "I don't hate Saturn either. Do you remember when she came out at my apartment and gave me that advice?"

She nodded in reply; it seemed he was reaching her, slowly but surely.

"Well, it really helped me out when I was stuck in the past. It helped me understand what was going on, and what I really needed to focus on. So even if you don't consider her a part of you…I consider her my friend as well. I may not understand _why _she did what she did, but I figure she must have had a pretty good reason."

Hotaru nodded gently. "She did. Queen Serenity's wish…"

"Queen Serenity's wish?" He was forced to admit he wasn't quite following. "She used the power of the Silver Crystal to seal away Queen Metalia…and send Princess Serenity and the rest of us here, to Earth's future. Prince Endymion, the Sailor Senshi...and Corval." He scratched at his chin idly. "I'm a little lost, Hotaru. What does all that have to do with Sailor Saturn?"

"The queen's wish had a price. More than just her own life."

"Oh…" It finally made sense. "That price…was what was left of the Moon Kingdom?"

Hotaru nodded faintly; she had that faraway look in her eyes again. "The queen did not seek to simply restore your lives, but to transplant them into an entirely different time. The scales had to be balanced…and she offered up the bones of her kingdom as payment." This wasn't Saturn; he was still speaking to Hotaru…but the Hotaru who took over when _she _was Sailor Saturn. "As for Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune? They were…additions. Saturn…_I_ knew they would be needed in the future…so I ensured their rebirths as well."

Corey's head was throbbing. It was a hell of a lot of information to take in at once, but it all made a strange kind of sense. Sailor Saturn's destruction of the Moon Kingdom wasn't some arbitrary, random act of violence; it was simply a Sailor Senshi performing an unpleasant but necessary duty. It was no different to him killing his fellow Guardian Knights…and Saturn had likely done it with an even heavier heart. Corey nodded slowly as he looked back into Hotaru's eyes. "I understand."

"So, you…you really don't hate me?"

He smiled again. "No, Hotaru. I don't hate you."

"I…I'm glad." Her lips curled upwards in a shy smile of their own, and he was reminded again of her feelings towards him. Corey was beginning to suspect that this was no harmless little crush after all, and that was dangerous. They'd have to address it sooner or later; he didn't want to run the risk of hurting her even more at some point in the future. While he'd never been crushed _on_ – that he was aware of – Corey had certainly had a crush…and he remembered how badly they could hurt if not handled the right way.

"There now! Isn't that better?" Minako cooed.

"Yes." Hotaru's smile was back now, at least.

"Okay, then!" The blonde leapt to her feet and clapped her hands together. "Now that you two have made up, we need to find Chibiusa." She leaned forward and smiled at the younger girl. "Would you like to help us look for her, Hotaru?"

"Sure!" Hotaru slipped off the stone and onto her feet. "We'll bring her back, I just know it."

Corey was torn; sure, Hotaru was happy now, but her mood level was clearly fixated on him...and that wasn't right.

"That's the spirit!" Minako seemed to notice Corey's subdued attitude. "Go on ahead, Hotaru. I just need to talk to Corey for a minute." Her smile faded as she got closer. "Are you okay?"

He watched Hotaru as she headed back towards Moon Castle, and slowly shook his head. "This isn't right, Minako. She's gonna end up getting hurt."

The blonde hesitated. "You're talking about her crush on you?"

"Yeah. It's not just some silly little crush; I'm not convinced it _will _just run its course. Whether or not her feelings are really love doesn't matter. She obviously feels more strongly than we originally thought, and we can't let it go like this. It'll only make things worse."

"You seem awfully sure about this," Minako said. "Considering your first response was basically a blind panic."

"I gave it a lot of thought over the last three weeks," he replied. "And I'm sure. I've been in Hotaru's position, Minako; just letting it go isn't any kind of decent option."

"Well…" She took hold of his hand. "Let's figure it out later. After we've found Chibiusa, and had a chance to just sit down and talk. Okay?"

That seemed like a sound plan; a few hours was hardly going to make a big difference. "Okay."

* * *

The compass locked on to Chibiusa without any difficulty, leading them back towards Moon Castle.

"It's no wonder we couldn't find her," Minako grumbled. "She ran off so fast we assumed she was long gone; we were searching much further out than this."

"The compass is never wrong," he replied.

"Yeah, yeah…I know." She paused briefly, but her curiosity obviously won out. "So how was it?"

Corey glanced over at her quickly. "The past?"

"Yeah. It must have been some kind of experience!"

"Sure..." he agreed. "I mean, I got to meet myself. That was interesting."

Hotaru had been content to remain silent, but it seemed her own curiosity had been piqued. "Did you…were you ever tempted to try and change anything?"

"I'd be lying if I said no," Corey admitted. "It was one of the first things I considered when I realised what had happened to me. I figured I could save the Moon Kingdom…"

Hotaru was quick to reply. "That would have been bad."

"I figured that out eventually." Corey grimaced as his back flared up again. "I remembered all of Setsuna's warnings and decided against it. For the most part. Corval wasn't happy with my silence, though."

"I can imagine," Minako murmured wistfully. "I remember you being so lost towards the end. You were desperate for guidance, but there was none to be found. I don't suppose any of us really had any idea what was coming, did we?"

He smiled faintly despite their melancholic conversation; Minako still managed to channel a little bit of Mina occasionally, even when she wasn't really trying. "Well, I _did_ give him something of a pep talk before the final battle. No spoilers or anything, though, so hopefully Setsuna's not _too_ mad." His back locked up completely, and he came to a stop. "Ah, damn it…"

Minako squeezed his forearm. "Are you okay? What happened?"

"Nothing major. A pretty nasty youma slapped me around a bit on my way back to the present. My back's a little messed up."

"Your back?" She frowned. "Is it okay? It's not broken, is it?"

"No, I don't think so-"

Her eyes twinkled mischievously. "Oh, good. In that case, suck it up."

Corey couldn't help it; he laughed. "I kinda walked into that one, huh?"

"Oh, you ran head-long into it," Minako assured him. "Until you've spent an entire night running around the enemy's base with a _broken _back, I don't want to hear you complaining. You're supposed to be a big, strong guy...so deal with it."

He tried his luck at some sympathy. "But maybe you're just tougher than me?"

She rolled her eyes. "Flattery's a nice try, cutie…but _maybe_ you're just a wuss?"

That was pretty funny, and Corey was forced to concede her point. "Ha! Maybe I am."

Hotaru seemed confused. "You two _do _love each other, right?"

"Of course we do," Minako said, giggling. "That's why we can tease each other so much." She raised her hand abruptly as she spotted someone. "Hey, Usagi! Mamoru!"

Corey spotted them himself; sure enough, Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen were approaching from the opposite direction. The ponytailed blonde perked up noticeably upon seeing him.

"Corey!" She crashed into him with quite a lot of force and hugged him tightly. "I was so worried about you! We thought you were lost in time somewhere!"

"I was," he agreed, happily returning her hug with one of his own. "But no stupid time portal can hold me for long!"

Usagi sighed into his shoulder. "That's such a typically Corey response, too…"

"Tell me about it," Minako agreed.

Corey just laughed as he worked his way free of her embrace and shook Mamoru's extended hand; the slightly older man smiled warmly. "It's good to see you alive and well."

"Thanks, Mamoru. I appreciate it."

"What happened to you, Corey?" Usagi asked. "Where did you go?"

"I can fill you in on the details later," he replied. "Right now, we should focus on finding Chibiusa. I'm tracking her with my compass."

"I explained the basics," his girlfriend said. "You two obviously haven't had any luck finding her?"

"No, we haven't." Usagi shot a worried glance at Mamoru. "Before we came across you guys, I was beginning to think Pride or Terror had somehow managed to grab her!"

"She's definitely on the moon," Corey said quickly. "Not far either, from the looks of it." He frowned and lowered the compass. "What happened?"

"She just ran off." Usagi hugged her own elbows as she leaned back against Mamoru's chest. "We tried to get her to open up about whatever it is that's been bothering her, but all we managed to do was drive her away."

"Chibiusa panicked when Usagi ordered her back to her own time," Mamoru said.

Corey remembered that all too well; it was right before the portal opened up.

"Clearly, she isn't comfortable with the idea…but we have no idea why." Mamoru let out a long sigh. "Even I can't get her to talk about it, and it's usually me who can get her to open up."

"Even Setsuna hasn't had any luck," Hotaru agreed quietly, "and Chibiusa looks up to her as much as anyone."

Chibiusa's behaviour sounded familiar to Corey; he'd been in similar moods before, in his younger days...and he had a pretty good idea where the issue lay. "She's brooding." All he got in return were looks of confusion. "Don't any of you remember being a moody teen?"

"What do you mean?" Mamoru asked.

Corey sighed and pointed at him and Usagi. "You two are her future parents; of course she doesn't want to talk to you. And Minako, you and the Senshi are clearly authority figures in her time, so she's not going to talk to you either." He found himself stroking his beard yet again; it was becoming a bit of a habit. "From what I saw when she first arrived, she's pretty tight with Setsuna…but it sounds like even she hasn't been able to reach her."

Usagi stared at him warily. "You seem pretty confident you know how she's feeling."

"Well, I _do _remember being a moody teen, and that's the vibe I'm getting from Chibiusa right now. She doesn't want to talk to her parents, or an authority figure; Chibiusa needs someone who's not involved. Someone she can talk things over with without feeling like she's being judged or talked down to. She especially doesn't want to feel like she's being pressured into anything."

"Wow," Minako murmured. "That's…kinda deep."

"I know," Usagi agreed. "Since when did you get so understanding of teenage girls, Corey?"

He smiled tightly. "I didn't. But I understand brooding; I did a lot of it when I was younger. And right now I think Hotaru has the best shot at talking her around." There was a brief pause as he thought about it. "Or me. We're friends in her time, but here? She barely knows me."

Mamoru looked down at Usagi. "The rest of us have tried getting her to open up without much luck."

Usagi nodded slowly. "That's true…I never really was into brooding." She smiled up at him. "I had a bunch of really good friends and an awesome boyfriend. I didn't have much to brood about when I think about it." She clasped her hands together before her and nodded. "Please try. We need to get Chibiusa back so we figure out our next move from here."

"We'll give it our best shot," Corey replied. "Won't we, Hotaru?"

She smiled and nodded silently.

Minako patted him on the forearm gently. "Just go easy on her, okay? Maybe dial back the bluntness a little? Chibiusa's not you…despite the similarities you might see."

"Come on…" he protested. "It's me!"

Her frown didn't change at all.

Corey sighed and hung his head. "I know, I know. Forget I said anything!"

* * *

It turned out the pink-haired girl was squirreled away _inside _a crumbled section of wall. The entry point was tiny; he barely made it through, _and _it played hell with his back, but he was trying to focus on other things. Minako had a good point, after all; it's not like it was broken. At least, he didn't think it was.

He spotted Chibiusa; she was huddled in the corner, hugging her knees with her head resting on her forearms. Corey took a few steps towards her, but kicked a loose stone at his feet. Her head snapped up in surprise and her eyes immediately locked on him.

"Corey?" She leapt to her feet and rushed forward to hug him in a similar fashion to her mother.

He hesitantly brought his arms up around her. "Hey."

Her voice wavered just a little. "I thought I got you lost in time!"

"It was just a little trip to the past and back again. No harm, no foul."

Hotaru smiled as Chibiusa hugged her next. "I'm glad you're okay, Chibiusa."

"It's good to see you, Hotaru." Her eyes narrowed suspiciously as she looked back at Corey. "Wait a minute. Did Usagi and Mamo-chan send you here?"

"I did talk to them," he admitted, "and they're worried about you…but we came to find you because we're your friends. Right, Hotaru?"

"That's right." She smiled shyly. "I was alone and scared too, Chibiusa, but Corey came to find me."

Corey resolved to discuss her feelings towards him with Minako as soon as possible. Or perhaps even Setsuna, as odd as that sounded. She seemed quite close to Hotaru. Perhaps closer than anyone.

"I'm not going back," Chibiusa said stubbornly. "And you can't make me!"

"Hey, that's fine." He sank down onto a piece of stone behind him, happy for the chance to rest his back. "We're not here to make you do anything." That was the first key; gaining her acceptance of their presence here.

Hotaru seemed puzzled. "But…"

"Grab a seat, Hotaru. We might as well get comfy, huh?"

She nodded and sat down. Beside him. Right beside him. Damn.

Chibiusa folded her arms across her chest. "I…look, whatever you're trying to do? It's not going to work, Corey." She sounded tough but wasn't making eye contact; that was a good sign.

"I'm not trying to do anything," Corey replied, sliding away from Hotaru just a little. "I mean, I'm here as your friend if you wanna talk, but that's it. Go ahead and do whatever you like." She had to feel like she was in control; that was key.

Her eyebrow arched suspiciously. "Really?"

"Hand on my heart," Corey agreed. "And if you _do _decide you wanna talk? I promise I won't tell Usagi or Mamoru a thing. Not unless you want me to."

"Well…" She was close; he almost had her. "I don't know."

"That's cool." He stretched rather painfully and cracked his knuckles. "We'll just hang out with you for a little while, then. Make sure you're safe. You don't mind, right?"

"Please, Chibiusa." Hotaru actually flashed quite a warm smile. "Talk to us. Let us help."

After several seconds of silence, Chibiusa sank back down onto her makeshift seat and sighed. "You can't help. I…I can't go home. I _can't_!"

"Oh?" Corey asked. "Why's that?"

Chibiusa bowed her head. "I ran away."

So they'd gotten the truth out of her…but it didn't seem like such a big deal. Certainly not worthy of her reaction. "Don't you miss your parents?"

"Of course I do, you idiot!" Her outburst surprised them all; even her, from her immediate blush. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that, Corey. It's just so…frustrating! If I go back, I can't ever see you guys again. Mama and Papa won't let me!"

"But the King and Queen have sent you back to our time before," Hotaru said softly. "Why would they do that?"

Chibiusa let out another sigh. "They said it was different this time. Too dangerous. Even Puu said so."

"Did they explain why?" Corey asked. "Was it because the Revenant Knight was here?"

"No." Her brow furrowed slightly. "Nobody talks about the Revenant Knight in Crystal Tokyo. Or Sailor Pride and Terror. I've never heard of any of them."

Corey had to force himself to breathe. That couldn't be right. The normal flow of time couldn't be changed…could it? Everyone survived. Everyone lived happily ever after in Crystal Tokyo; Usagi and the others had said so. Maybe the Sailor Senshi of the future just didn't like to talk about the past?

Chibiusa wasn't going to set his mind at ease. "It's weird, too, because they talk about the other enemies they've faced."

Was this something new? Had the Senshi from Chibiusa's time never fought the Revenant Knight? Is that why they didn't speak of him? Was the future being rewritten even as they spoke? It was a chilling thought, that for sure, and Corey decided he was going to ask Sailor Pluto about it as soon as he got the chance.

Thankfully, Hotaru kept them on track. "If it's not the Revenant Knight, then why is it too dangerous for you to come back to see us, Chibiusa?"

The pink-haired girl fidgeted awkwardly. "They said it's getting too close to the time when I…well, when Usagi and Mamo-chan…when they…"

So that was it; Corey was finally beginning to understand her dilemma. "It's getting close to the time they become your parents. For real, I mean."

"Yeah. Puu said it was too dangerous for me to risk being around myself as a baby."

"But they're not married yet." Hotaru sounded confused. "Only married people have babies…right?"

"It…doesn't work quite like that," Corey said awkwardly. There was no way he was explaining the finer points of baby-making to her! "But, Chibiusa…why can't you just make sure you don't come back after your birth? Or even nine months before it?" For that matter, _he'd _co-existed with his past-self just fine...so why couldn't she? He had yet another question for Sailor Pluto.

"The Crystal Time Key doesn't really work like that," she explained. "It doesn't bring you to a specific date. It just takes you to an approximate time. That's why I sort of show up at random; it's not precise like Puu's Garnet Rod or the Space-Time Door."

That made sense; it explained his random appearance in the Silver Millennium, too.

"So, Mama and Papa told me I couldn't come back anymore. They said they were sorry…but that wasn't good enough! I had to say goodbye to everyone! I couldn't just disappear!" Her face fell, and her voice dropped along with it. "But when I got here…I didn't know what to say. I was ashamed."

"What were you ashamed of?" Hotaru asked.

"Of running away in the first place," she sighed. "I mean…I'm not stupid. I know Usagi and Mamo-chan _are _my parents, but I never really looked at them that way, you know? They're my friends. All of you are. I know you in my time too, but you're all different here. Younger…more fun. More like me."

"Different?" Corey raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

"It's hard to explain." Chibiusa was silent for a moment. "Minako's a pretty good example, actually. She's just…she's more _fun_ here! She's kinda crazy too, but we always have such a good time when I come back."

He laughed. "Minako's not crazy in the future? Really?"

Chibiusa actually cracked a smile. "No. She's just a little calmer, I guess. More grown up. I guess that's no surprise, with..." She trailed off abruptly. "All the girls are. Even _you're_ different. More confident. You don't seem to get confused around the others so much."

Confused? Oh. _Awkward._ Corey almost sighed in relief. "That's good to know." He reached out and squeezed her hand. "It sounds like you're stuck in a bit of a bind, huh?"

"Once I return home…I can't come back. I know that." Her voice cracked again. "But I didn't realise how dangerous it was for you guys right now. These enemies seem worse, somehow. It isn't just about the Silver Crystal, is it? That Terror guy seems like he wants to kill you and Minako. Why does he hate you so much?"

"He…" Corey considered that. "We used to be friends…a _very_ long time ago. But he turned on Queen Serenity, and I was forced to kill him. Somehow, he came back as one of the Revenant Knight's servants…and now he wants revenge."

"The Revenant Knight," Chibiusa murmured. "I don't like him either."

That was an understatement. "We're gonna beat them," he said confidently. "I know it." He rose to his feet and stepped closer. "But I can't do it from in here, Chibiusa. And I'm not leaving without you."

"You need to stop hiding," Hotaru said quietly. "It's not going to help anything…and the others are really worried about you."

"Hotaru's right," Corey agreed. "Can I give you some advice…as your friend?"

She nodded mutely.

"Talk to Usagi and Mamoru. They'll understand. As your friends, _and _as your future parents."

At least she seemed to be considering it. "But I can't leave now. I have to help you guys!"

"Well…" Corey knew he had to handle this carefully. "I can't make that decision; that's up to Usagi, as your mother _and _as leader of the Sailor Senshi." He dropped to one knee before her and reached out to squeeze her shoulders gently. "But if that's what you _really _want? I can't promise she'll listen to me, but I'll stand up for you."

Her smile returned. "Thanks, Corey." She stood and hugged Hotaru again. "And thank you too, for coming after me."

Hotaru hugged her back. "You're my best friend, Chibiusa. I couldn't leave you alone."

Corey found himself smiling too; it was kind of heart-warming, no matter how tough he liked to act. "What do you say we head outside? I'll bet you've had quite enough of hiding in here."

"Yeah…I have." She reached up to poke his cheek curiously. "You look more like the Corey I know with the beard. And just now…you sounded like him, too." A giggle slipped from her lips a second later. "Your hair's wrong, though."

"What's wrong with my hair?" he asked, mock annoyed. "I'll have you know I've been rocking the 'just rolled out of bed' look for years and nobody's complained!"

"I didn't say it looked bad," she retorted. "It just doesn't match your beard!"

"Well…any style tips I should be following? _Future _trends, perhaps?"

"Oh, no!" Chibiusa said firmly. "I'm not getting in any more trouble from Puu. You'll just have to figure that out for yourself!"

"I like your hair the way it is," Hotaru said quietly, blushing as she did.

Corey just shook his head and laughed. It was good to have things back to normal.

* * *

AN: There's not much to say about this chapter. Chibiusa's dilemma has been revealed, and for once Corey got to show off his softer side - it looks like his little trip to the past did him some good. Hotaru's still crushing, though, and he doesn't seem content to let it go anymore. On top of that, they're still sitting on the moon. Where do they go from here? More to come soon!


	20. Homecoming

Corey let out of a quiet sigh of relief as Chibiusa disappeared through the crack in the wall. He hadn't been entirely convinced she was going to leave, despite their talk, so it was good to see her actually outside again. She seemed happier after their chat. It felt good to be able to help someone for a change; his much-maligned awkwardness around girls usually made that next to impossible. Chibiusa was a little different, though, because talking to her was surprisingly easy. Just like her mother.

"Mother…" he murmured, thinking of Usagi. "That's still a shock, even now. But then, queen of the world's not exactly an easy sell either."

"Corey?" That was Minako, calling to him from outside. "Are you planning on coming out too?"

He was…if he could bring himself to crawl through that damnably tight hole. Corey's back began to spasm just thinking about it. _Or, _he realised, _you could just teleport out of here. You got your powers back a while ago, idiot. Use them! _Yet again, he was glad nobody was around to see his slip. He took a deep breath, focused on the world outside…and blinked.

Ami let out an uncharacteristic shriek as he appeared right in front of her. Corey recoiled, startled himself; he'd somehow managed to reappear right in the midst of the Guardian Senshi.

"Huh." Minako sounded almost amused. "That's not exactly what I had in mind."

A furious Sailor Mars punched him in the arm. Hard. "What were you thinking, you idiot?!"

Great. His awkwardness was back. "I…uh…I didn't know you were here, and-"

"Not that!" Her violet eyes flashed angrily. "Getting yourself lost in time, stupid!"

_Oh, _he thought. _Rei was…worried about me? _That had to be it, and in typical Rei fashion she was masking her concern with anger. _Just like she would with Usagi_. Corey felt a smile coming on; it was actually quite touching. "Thanks, Rei. I missed you too."

She turned away quickly, but it wasn't enough to hide her blush. "Yeah, well…I just got used to having you around, so don't go doing something that stupid again or you'll hear from me!"

Corey laughed quietly; it really was nice to have friends again. "Got it."

Minako burst out laughing at their exchange, giving the Senshi of Fire a new target. "What're you laughing at, airhead?!"

"Any ill effects from your passage through time?" Corey turned to find Ami scanning him with her computer. What kind of greeting was that, though?

"It's nice to see you too, Ami," he said dryly.

It was her turn to blush; that was something else he wasn't used to seeing from her. "Sorry. Are you alright, though?"

He smiled and nodded gently. "There was a little disorientation on both sides of the trip, but I'm otherwise fine."

"Good, good…and what about-" Ami's smile fell into a frown. "You've got a pretty nasty lower back strain, Corey. When did that happen?"

He actually felt a little validated after Minako's earlier jibe. His back _was_ bad enough to show up on Ami's scan."I was-"

Minako quite literally popped up out of nowhere. "Just to clarify, Ami, but a _broken _back is much worse than some silly little strain. Right?"

Ami appeared confused. "Well, I suppose so…but-"

"Thank you!" Just like that, the blonde was gone again.

Corey looked around warily and found her back in her original position; Minako smiled and wriggled her fingers in a little wave. _First Usagi, and now Minako. How the hell are they doing that? And how is nobody else weirded out by it?!_

As expected, Ami just shrugged it off. She was obviously used to it, a thought that terrified him. Was he going to start accepting that kind of craziness too?

"Your back should recover in time," she said. "Just try to avoid any unnecessary bending or sudden movement." The blue-haired Senshi hesitated, but only for a moment. "About your trip through time…I _do _have some question I'd like to ask you when we have a chance…"

"I figured," he said, laughing quietly. "I actually jotted down some notes when I first arrived, about the portal, how I felt…that sort of thing. We can sit down and go over it when we've figured out our next step. How's that sound?"

"Great!" Ami replied, beaming. "Even forgetting about the unintentional nature of your travel, Minako said you spent three weeks in the Silver Millennium. I have so many questions-"

"Time's up, Ami," Makoto declared. "Stop monopolising Corey!" She brushed past…and _hugged _him. Tight.

Corey froze up; he wasn't expecting her to hug him. Usagi, Minako…even Chibiusa. They were all natural huggers and he was used to it. But this was different.

"I'm glad you're back," she said softly. "I was really worried we weren't going to see you again."

"Um…thanks?" She'd already held the hug for six seconds, and showed no signs of pulling away. Why was she still hugging him? He caught sight of Minako over Makoto's shoulder and cringed; her right eyebrow was twitching; a familiar warning sign of imminent danger. Corey gingerly tried to extricate himself from her grasp, hoping she'd take the hint. "I, uh…missed you too, Makoto."

She released him, albeit reluctantly, leaving him standing awkwardly in front of her. "You can call me Mako, Corey. Everyone else does!" Her wink afterwards was another source of confusion.

"Sure…Mako." That hug seemed a little friendlier than he was used to. Admittedly, she _had _only hugged him once before; after they had coffee together. But that was right after Wrath's death, and a hug seemed natural in those circumstances. Makoto had never shown any hint of attraction to him before. Was he even attractive to women? That hadn't been a big issue for him in high school; girls never really seemed all that interested. No, it was just like she said. She was glad to see him. He was obviously still confused after the events of the day. It was no big deal. Just a harmless hug between two friends. Right?

Minako chose that moment to appear beside him. She slipped her arms around his and pressed against him tight. That was odd; it seemed like a pretty possessive move. Was she really that bothered by Makoto's hug? Minako had never demonstrated any jealousy before…though he was forced to admit she hadn't really had any reason to.

"I'll talk to you later, Corey." He could have sworn Makoto's eyes lingered on Minako for a moment before she turned and walked away.

For that matter, Minako's eyes seemed fixed on Makoto as well. "Uh…Minako? Is everything okay?"

At least she seemed to relax a little. "Hmm? Oh, I'm fine."

Somehow, Corey didn't quite believe her, but there was no way he was pushing her on it; he'd had quite enough drama for one day.

"Chibiusa seems to be feeling better. It looks like you actually handled her pretty well."

Corey ignored the obvious subject change – filing it away for future reference - and settled on feigned hurt. "I'm not completely useless around girls, you know."

That got a giggle out of her. "I don't know, Corey…you're pretty bad."

He turned and placed his hands on her hips, gently pulling her in closer. "I can't be that bad. I got you, after all."

Minako's arm snaked up and around his neck; her smile was back in full force. "Oh, please. I got you and you know it."

Corey was forced to agree with her assessment. "Well, when you're right, you're right."

She carefully pulled him down for another gentle kiss. Being here now, with Minako and his friends? It made the struggles of the last three weeks seem like nothing more than a distant memory.

* * *

The group returned to the ruins of Moon Castle. Uranus and Neptune were waiting for them, along with the three lunar cats. Titus perked up immediately when he saw Corey and flashed a 'cat smile'; the feline equivalent of the gesture.

"Hello again, my friend."

Corey smiled at the subtle reference; it was the same form of address he'd used in the Vault one thousand years earlier.

"I'm glad to see you made it back safely after all."

"Wait just a minute!" Minako snapped. "You knew where Corey was and you didn't say anything?!"

"I wasn't sure I should." Titus had the good grace to look sheepish, at least. "After Sailor Pluto didn't reveal Corey's whereabouts…I assumed silence was her preferred response."

"And I appreciate that, Titus," Setsuna assured him.

"But we were worried!" Usagi cried, agreeing with Minako. "What harm would it have done for us to know Corey was alright?"

"As I have said before, Princess, I do not make it a habit to discuss the future." Setsuna's formal reply made it clear she wasn't going to give any ground on this. "You already know far more about your own future than I'm comfortable with, and I shall make no further exceptions."

"Besides," Corey said hastily. "I'm back now, right? It doesn't really matter who knew what." It was clear _someone_ had to try to defuse the situation; they were all a little on edge and it wouldn't take much to provoke a full-scale argument.

"Nicely done," Titus murmured. "I'm glad you're unharmed, Corey. I would have…well, I…"

Corey smiled back at him; the cat never had been all that good at expressing his feelings, but he knew what he was trying to say. "I missed you too, buddy." He watched on in confusion as Usagi dropped into a crouch and peered at Titus closely.

The cat withdrew warily as she reached out to poke at him. "Might I help you with something, Princess?"

Her eyes narrowed slowly. "Why are you still black?"

"I _am _black," he replied haughtily. "It's my natural colour. The ginger was a disguise I developed in the Silver Millennium, after your mother appointed me her Spymaster. It was the least stealthy colour I could imagine." He glanced at Corey. "Now that I'm not hiding my identity from anyone, it makes little sense to continue the charade."

"But you've always been ginger!" Usagi argued. "Now there are two black cats. I'll get you mixed up with Luna!"

"How wonderful," Luna muttered, wandering away. "She still can't tell me apart from another black cat after five _years_!"

"Oh, no, Luna!" Usagi ran after her frantically. "I didn't mean it that way! Come back!"

Corey shook his head and sighed. That was classic Usagi at her well-intentioned best; insulting Luna with absolutely no plans for doing so. She and Minako were so alike sometimes it scared him.

Titus turned back to him and cleared his throat. "I do wonder, though, Corey…you could have told me what was coming. You could have warned me that my approach to training you was wrong." He actually sounded wistful. "You could have spared us three years of misunderstanding and pain."

Corey nodded pensively. "Yeah…I could have. But our disagreements? They're in the past, Titus. Just like the Silver Millennium. It already happened…and I've made my peace with it." He noticed Setsuna was looking at him; the Guardian of Time graced him with a small smile and a gentle nod.

"Hey," Minako whispered, leaning in close. "I don't mean to interrupt, but are you going to fill everyone in on your little trip to the past now?"

"Yeah," Rei agreed, obviously hearing her. "What happened to you? Minako said you were gone for three _weeks_?"

Corey considered the question. Granted, defeating the Revenant Knight was their main goal, and he _did _have a lot to explain…but it wasn't important right now. "Later. First things first – we need to decide our next step."

Rei nodded. "Fair point." She turned and cupped her hands around her mouth. "Hey, Odango! Stop chasing Luna and get back here! We have important decisions to make!"

The blonde hurried over, breathing heavily. "What's…what's going on?"

The remaining Senshi gathered around, forming a loose circle. Mamoru settled beside Usagi, and the cats sat on a fallen pillar in the centre of the group.

Rei folded her arms across her chest. "We need to figure out what we're going to do next."

"That's an excellent question," Ami said, nodding in agreement. "We can't stay on the moon forever."

Setsuna nodded. "For one, we have no food or water."

"_And _Jerkface knows where we are," Minako added darkly.

"Which means Pride and Terror could show up again at any time," Artemis agreed. He looked around slowly at each of the girls in turn. "Relocating would seem to be the priority."

"And getting some food…" Usagi said wearily; her stomach growled loudly as if to emphasise her point.

Rei rolled her eyes. "Really, Odango?"

The blonde shrugged. "Hey, we may be on the run but a girl's still gotta eat."

Rei just sighed and muttered something under her breath; judging by Usagi's reaction, it wasn't particularly kind.

"So where do we go?" Haruka asked. "Tokyo doesn't seem safe."

Michiru was actually fidgeting nervously, something Corey hadn't seen from her before. "Not with the Revenant Knight in charge of the country."

Makoto sat down on the stone block behind her. "He knows who we really are, too. The police could be waiting for us at any of our usual hangouts."

"And we can't fight them," Hotaru said softly. "They're innocent in this."

"Even the command centre is lost to us," Luna murmured. "It's buried under a pile of rubble. The explosion at the arcade saw to that."

"I've got it!" Minako abruptly leapt to her feet and pointed to the Earth dramatically. "We can go to London!"

"London?!" Chibiusa's surprise seemed to mirror a few of the girls.

"Why London?" Rei asked wearily.

"Because I still have friends there!" the blonde explained patiently. "Alan and Katarina would never turn us away. We could rest up, let our injuries heal, _and _form a plan for taking down the Revenant Knight."

That got Corey thinking. Rest up, heal and form a plan. It seemed like a sound strategy…though he wasn't entirely sold on London.

Mamoru seemed to agree; he blanched visibly. "London? It's cold, wet and-"

"Stop right there!" Minako demanded. "I won't have you speak ill of my treasured second home!"

_Treasured second home? _Corey shook his head in disbelief. _She's awfully attached for someone who spent just over eight _weeks_ there! Still, her enthusiasm's always so damned cute…_

"I'm not convinced, either," Artemis admitted. "I _really_ don't miss London!"

"Et tu, Arty?" Minako was in full-blown pout mode now. "Yes, London's cold. Yes, it's wet. But that's all part of its charm!"

"That's some kinda charm," Rei muttered.

"I don't know, Minako," Usagi's frown continued to deepen. "You're not making it sound all that appealing."

Even Ami seemed dubious. "Your desire to go to London wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that Sailor V would be recognised, would it?"

Minako suddenly became very interested in the ground at her feet. "I…I'm _shocked _that you would even make such an accusation, Ami!"

Artemis sighed loudly. "Mina…"

"That's a yes," Makoto said.

Minako just folded her arms across her chest and pouted again. "You all suck."

"Does anyone else have another suggestion?" Mamoru asked wearily.

Corey raised his hand tentatively. "We, uh…we could always go to my place? Iowa, I mean. Nothing everhappens there, so it should be safe."

Titus performed one of his trademark cat-shrugs. "That _is _a fairly accurate assessment of Iowa…"

Usagi's eyes lit up. "I've always wanted to visit America!"

"Probably not Iowa, though," Mamoru noted. "What was it you said it was known for, Corey?"

"Corn and livestock," he replied ruefully.

"And when you say your place," Makoto continued, "You mean…?"

"Well, it's technically my mom's place," he admitted. "But she already knows Minako. And she met Usagi and Rei as Senshi too."

"And she would be willing to accommodate us?" Setsuna asked.

Corey didn't hesitate. "She wouldn't turn us away." _She might be surprised, though_.

Rei raised a sceptical eyebrow. "You're so sure?"

"My mom's one of the kindest people I know," Corey said defensively. "And in the incredibly unlikely event she _did_? I'd just use the old McLeod charm to get her on our side."

Haruka snorted as she burst into uproarious laughter. "Charm? _You_? That's hilarious!"

Makoto and Rei joined in her laughter; even Ami and Usagi were snickering. The typically refined and dignified Michiru and Setsuna weren't openly laughing, but Corey was sure their smiles were wider. In fact, Hotaru and Chibiusa were the only two girls _not _reacting with amusement; he put that down to them not knowing him well enough to comment one way or another.

"Come on! I can be charming when I need to be!" He turned to Minako. "Tell them!"

She was clearly struggling. "S-Sorry, cutie, I'd like to back you up here, but…" A quiet giggle slipped out and she clapped her hand over her mouth, shrugging helplessly.

Corey sighed heavily. Girls. What could you do? "Charm aside…what do you all think?"

All eyes turned on Usagi; she wiped tears from her eyes and blinked rapidly. "Why are you leaving it up to me?"

"Maybe because you're the leader, Odango?" Rei's tone was soft despite using the nickname Usagi claimed to despise.

"What I'm sure Rei is _trying _to say," Ami added, "is that we trust your judgement."

Michiru smiled faintly. "It certainly seems to have improved in recent years."

"Right!" Haruka agreed. "You don't make nearly as many bad decisions as you used to, Usagi."

The blonde's eyes narrowed slowly. "I'm not so sure that's the compliment you think it is, Haruka." A quick sigh slipped from her lips as she turned to Minako. "You had the only other suggestion, Minako, so go ahead. Sell me on London."

"Um…" Minako's finger tapped against her cheek thoughtfully. "I'm actually leaning towards Iowa myself to tell you the truth. It'd be nice to see Sam and Jess again." Her eyes sparkled mischievously as she winked at Corey. "And how can I resist the chance to see my cutie's childhood bedroom?!"

Corey sighed in frustration. "I'm not sure I'm comfortable with you seeing my-"

"We'll talk about it later" she cooed. "So…Iowa?"

Usagi glanced around the circle and, upon receiving nods from the majority, shrugged. "Looks like we have a winner."

"This is a good plan," Luna observed. "It will give you all a chance to unwind…and we can work out our next move for dealing with the Revenant Knight."

"I have part of that worked out already," Corey said. He received several curious looks, and held up his hand. "I can explain later."

"I'm looking forward to it." Usagi pushed herself to her feet. "Alright. Let's form up for a Sailor Teleport."

Everyone stood; the girls were already in a loose circle but they tightened it up as they joined hands.

Minako casually shooed Corey into the centre. "No 'blink' for you, mister. You're driving!"

"Minako's right," Ami agreed. "You have to direct the teleport."

"Why?"

Rei rolled her eyes. "Because, genius, none of us know where your mother's house is!"

Corey felt his cheeks burning; that was a good point. "Okay…so I'm driving." There was a thought. "How exactly am I doing that?"

"Just visualise your mother's house," Usagi said softly. "Keep that image in your mind, and we'll do the rest. Okay?"

"Alright…" He pictured Iowa, and his former home. It was just about six PM there. _Mom's probably in the kitchen making dinner. Jess will be in her room, I guess…reading, or doing her homework. I hope. That means the living room. _There was the couch, and the coffee table…and a wide open space next to the fireplace. That was probably the best spot to aim for. "Okay…all set."

"Ready, everyone?" Usagi called. After receiving affirmatives from the other Senshi, she closed her eyes and concentrated. "Alright. Let's do it."

It was a strange feeling; very different from Corey's usual 'blink'. The Senshi began to glow around him; he could almost _feel _the power rolling off them like the waves of the ocean.

Mamoru leaned in with a wry smile on his lips. "Hold on to your hat, Corey."

Corey took a deep breath in…and the moon vanished in a flash of white.

* * *

Samantha McLeod looked up from her book, glancing at the clock on the living room wall. Almost a quarter-to-six; she really should start preparing dinner…but it was just her and Jess, after all.

"What the hell…" she murmured. "I can afford to finish this chapter."

She returned her gaze to the page in front of her but looked up again almost immediately; her cup of coffee was trembling. For that matter, the entire room was shaking. Was it an earthquake? There hadn't been one in Iowa in her lifetime.

Sam shrieked in surprise as a sudden flash of brilliant white light filled the living room, quite literally jumping out of her chair. As the light faded and her vision returned, she found herself staring at ten girls in familiar sailor suits and miniskirts, a man in a tuxedo…and her son.

"Hi, mom," Corey said, smiling sheepishly. "I, uh…brought some friends home for dinner."

* * *

AN: Lots of fluff, but this seemed like the perfect place to end the chapter. I admit even I felt like I needed a bit of a break after all the drama from the last few chapters, so we got a little light-hearted banter between Corey and the girls, and they decided on their next step. Next chapter, Corey explains what he found in the past...and the girls explore the town :D

Thanks for reading, everyone. Back with the next installment soon!


	21. Master of the Obvious and Sailor Pizza

AN: Just a quick one to begin - there's a bunch of in-universe switching between Japanese and English, especially in the opening. As a rule, just look at who's speaking to who, and it should be apparent what language they're speaking. I've tried to make a note of it whenever possible (despite the entire chapter technically being in English, of course, lol). Enjoy.

* * *

"Hi, mom. I, uh...brought some friends home for dinner."

Minako resisted the urge to slap him across the back of the head. _Really, Corey? You go with a terrible joke like that to break the ice? She's gonna kill you!_

Sam raised a trembling finger towards him. "Corey McLeod!"

The blonde cringed. _Oh, yeah. She's mad!_

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Sam demanded. "You can't pick up a phone and let me know you're coming? You thought you'd just show up and scare your poor mother half to death?!"

"Er...that's...I mean..." Corey seemed completely thrown; he obviously hadn't expected such a vitriolic response. "We...time...the moon...I thought..."

"Spit it out, Corey! What were you thinking?!"

He shrugged helplessly. "Uh...it was...an accident?"

Minako let out an exasperated sigh and shoved him aside. _Someone _had to take charge. "Hi, Sam!"

"Minako!" The older woman's anger seemed to fade almost immediately, replaced with a brilliant smile. "It's so good to see you again, dear."

Sam's warm reaction never ceased to amaze her. "What Corey's _trying_ to say is he's very sorry we startled you like that, but we didn't have much of a choice." Her own smile faded quickly. "We're in a lot of trouble, Sam, and we need your help."

The older woman took a deep breath in and nodded. "Alright. What's going on?"

"What?!" Corey clearly couldn't believe it. "You're pissed at me, but Minako starts talking and you're all smiles again, just like that?!"

"_Minako_ got right to the point!" Sam growled. "It's all about eloquence, Corey; something _you've _always lacked!"

Minako just couldn't resist prodding him. "I keep trying to tell you that…"

He glared back at her. "Now is _not _the time, Minako."

"Don't you get mad at her. It isn't Minako's fault you decided to startle me then cover it with a bad joke!" She pointed to a nondescript door in the corner. "Kitchen. Now!"

Corey hung his head and slunk away. "Yes, ma'am…"

Sam turned back to Minako. "I'll get him straightened out and be right with you. You and your friends feel free to sit down."

"Thanks, Sam." She turned to face Corey and smiled cheerfully. "Be brave, cutie!"

Her boyfriend muttered something under his breath; it sounded distinctly unkind.

"I heard that, young man!" Sam snapped. "Minako's such a sweet girl! How can you even consider using language like that around her?!"

They disappeared through the door and Minako turned to face the rest of the girls. Rei, Ami and even Mamoru looked as amused as she felt, while Usagi and Makoto had obviously gotten lost at some point in the conversation. Chibiusa and Hotaru seemed worried for Corey...and Setsuna and Michiru were their usual unreadable selves. Haruka though...

"Wow," she said slowly, her lips pulled right back in a huge grin. "I'm just so _happy_ right now! Is it my birthday? It feels like my birthday!"

* * *

Corey felt like he was fifteen again. He was leaning against the fridge with his arms folded across his chest; his usual position for one of these 'kitchen talks'. His mother stood over by the oven, her hands resting on her hips. At least she didn't look _quite _so mad anymore.

"If you're done acting like an ass," she said testily, "I'd like an explanation now. What's going on? Why are you all here?"

He let out a long sigh. Where to begin? "It's like Minako said, mom. We're in trouble."

"What kind of trouble?"

Corey launched into a brief explanation of everything that had happened since her visit to Tokyo. Avan's sudden appearance; the rise of the Revenant Knight as Prime Minister and his efforts to turn the public against them; the return of Pride and Terror...and finally their retreat to the moon. He left out his little trip through time, though. He wasn't sure where to even begin explaining that one.

"So," he said wearily, "we wound up on the moon with no food, no water, and nowhere to go. I figured we could hang out here for a little while. Lie low, rest up...figure out some kinda plan."

She remained silent, but he could see her jaw working as she considered his words.

Corey sighed again. The guilt was beginning to take a toll now; she'd always had a special knack for making him feel bad when he'd done something wrong "I'm sorry we startled you...and I'm sorry for the stupid joke. It wasn't very...well, funny."

His mother smiled faintly. "I never could stay mad at you for long, Corey. Even when you deserve it." She reached up to rub the back of her neck. "This is a heck of a lot to spring on me at once, you know."

"I know, but we don't have many other options."

She brought her arms up and hugged her own elbows. "Are things really _that _bad?"

Corey nodded reluctantly; he really wished he could say no right now. "Wrath, the guy who grabbed you in Tokyo? The Revenant Knight makes him look like a bitc-" He coughed quickly to cover his slip-up. "...bit of a snowflake."

Her reproving look made it clear she'd caught his mistake. "Tell me the truth, Corey. Should I be scared?"

That was a loaded question if he'd ever heard one. The Revenant Knight was certainly the toughest opponent he'd ever faced...and from the sound of things he was near the top of the girls' list as well.

_But does mom really need to know that_, he asked himself. The answer was an easy one._ She'll just worry herself sick...and I don't want that. _He flashed her a cocky smile as he looked up. "Nah. He's tough, but we've got Sailor Moon on our side. She's gonna kick his smoky a-" Yet again, he caught himself just in time, "…_butt _right back into space!"

A faint smile formed on his mother's lips. "You're lying, Corey…but for once, I actually appreciate it." She took a deep breath and nodded. "Of course you and your friends are welcome to stay here as long as you need. I'll help anyway I can."

He took three steps forward and kissed her on the cheek. "Thanks, mom. You're the best."

"Of course I am," she said, laughing quietly. "Now...let's get back out there and make sure your friends are okay. We need to figure out where they're all going to sleep, for one." That gave her pause. "I never thought you'd actually have enough friends for that to be a problem!"

"Thanks, mom. That's great."

* * *

Minako glanced around at her fellow Sailor Senshi; they'd taken Sam up on her offer to sit and had cautiously brought dining chairs over to supplement the limited seating on the couches.

"We should probably detransform" Usagi said abruptly. "It feels like I've been wearing this uniform forever!"

"Tell me about it," Chibiusa agreed. "Mine's all dirty."

"That's what you get for crawling around in the dust," Usagi muttered.

"It may even help Corey's mother relax," Luna added. "She seemed quite upset."

Minako waved her concerns off. "She'll be fine, Luna. Sam's tougher than she looks; she was just surprised." She tapped a finger on her cheek thoughtfully. "I wouldn't mind ditching my uniform, either. Visiting your boyfriend's house for the first time in such a short skirt isn't exactly proper..."

"Since when are you concerned with being proper?" Artemis murmured.

She glared down at him. "Who asked you, furball?!"

One by one, the girls released their transformations and returned to their civilian clothing. Minako glanced down and blushed immediately; she'd forgotten she was still wearing her pyjamas. _That jerk Terror attacked Corey's apartment at, like...four AM! A camisole and sweatpants are definitely comfy but I feel a little underdressed now._

Rei noticed her embarrassment. "Everything's going so well for you, Minako! You have a choice of your sleepwear or a _really _short skirt!"

The blonde let out a tortured groan and dropped her head into her hands. "The universe just hates me!" She snapped her head around as the front door opened behind them and Corey's sister walked in.

She stopped and stared at the assembled Senshi with wide eyes. "Oh. H-Hello?" Her eyes came to rest on Minako, though, and her confusion melted away in an instant. "Minako!"

The blonde leapt to her feet. "Jess, hey!" Her boyfriend's sister practically tackled her but she didn't mind in the slightest - even if it _was _a little hard to breath. "How are you?!"

The brunette stepped back and looked her over. "I'm great, and you're...in your pyjamas?"

"It's a long story," Minako said, breathing a heavy sigh. "Anyway, never mind that! I'd like you to meet my friends, the Sailor Senshi."

Usagi coughed loudly. It sounded suspiciously like 'Mamoru'.

Minako rolled her eyes in an exaggerated fashion. "_And_ Mamoru."

He managed a pained smile. "Thanks for the awe-inspiring introduction, Minako."

Jess waved cheerfully. "Konnichiwa!"

Usagi seemed almost relieved. "You speak Japanese?"

"Um, iie," Jess replied, shaking her head. "Suko...shidake?" She glanced at Minako hesitantly.

Minako nodded in approval. _No, only a little. _Her accent was pretty good, too. "You've been learning!"

"I decided to start studying after we got back from Tokyo. I thought it might make you feel more welcome when you came to visit." She reached back to rub the back of her head as she laughed nervously. "I wasn't expecting you to come so soon, though!"

"Aww," Minako cooed. "That's so sweet, Jess!" It was her turn to do the hugging now. _Corey's family is just so awesome_, she thought happily. _I can't believe I was ever worried about meeting them! _She continued with one-on-one introductions, working her way around the room. "And last, but certainly not least, we have Mamoru...also known as the overly-enigmatic master of the obvious, Tuxedo Kamen!"

"Overly-enigmatic master of the obvious?" he repeated furiously.

Minako rolled her eyes again. "Oh, please. You know it's true!"

Rei snorted derisively. "That's such an understatement."

"You do have a history of using cliches," Ami agreed apologetically.

"Usako!" Mamoru turned to his girlfriend. "A little help, please!"

She turned bright red, suddenly very interested in the floor at her feet. "_Some _of your advice was helpful, Mamo-chan...sometimes."

His jaw dropped. "But you said you _loved _my little motivational speeches!"

Chibiusa shrugged. "Sorry, Mamo-chan. I love you but even I think Tuxedo Kamen's advice can be kinda pointless."

Rei cleared her throat and launched into a rather accurate impersonation of him. "Even a lovely flower will soon wilt if a poisonous energy eats away at it. Those who toy with pure hearts will one day be tried by pure hearts!"

"Oh, wow!" Haruka burst out laughing. "Really?!"

Mamoru sank back onto the couch between his girlfriend and future daughter. "I feel so betrayed..."

Minako turned back to Jess and laughed awkwardly. _That went a little further than I intended_, she thought. _Oh well. _She clapped her hands together and smiled. "Anyway...that's everyone."

Jess had obviously lost track of their rapid-fire Japanese, but she smiled all the same and bowed formally. "Hajimemashite, min'na." She dropped into a crouch beside the three cats, reaching out to pet Luna and Artemis. "And who do we have here?"

Usagi gestured to each feline in turn. "That's Luna and Artemis."

"Aww, aren't you two just the cutest?" They purred appreciatively in response to her attention, as Jess turned her gaze to the third cat. "And who are...Titus? You're black now?"

"Finally," he said haughtily. "Someone actually recognises me without that infernal ginger fur!"

Rei folded her arms across her chest and glared at him. "That's what you get for literally hiding your true colours the entire time we've known you!"

"That's right," Makoto agreed. "You've always been ginger!"

"No, I've always been _black_," Titus countered. "A fact apparently lost on you people!"

Minako was getting a headache; she already knew how stop the arrogant cat's grumbling. _But unfortunately, it means stroking his already inflated ego_. She dropped into a crouch before him and forced a smile. "Come on, Titus. You and I may not get along so well but you're a smart cat. I'm sure you understand this is a pretty big change for us. I mean, think about it. What if I suddenly went brunette?" _Not that I ever would_, she added silently.

The cat stared back at her mutely.

"And for what it's worth," she continued, "I actually prefer your black fur. It really makes your eyes pop, you know?"

Those same eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Really?"

"Uh, yes!" Ami said quickly, catching on to what Minako was trying to do. "I really like your new, uh, _old _look! It's just going to take a little getting used to, that's all."

"Well…" He sniffed dramatically, and the fur on his back smoothed down. "I suppose _some _confusion is to be expected. You're only human, after all."

"That was pretty sneaky," Corey said from behind her.

She turned and shrugged, noting his amused smirk. "I was getting sick of his whining. It was that, or threaten to have him neutered again."

His eyes nearly popped out of his head. "_Again_?!"

She waved her hand. "Oh, it's fine. I wouldn't _actually _take him to the vet...probably."

Jess pressed against Corey in a tight hug. "Hey, big brother."

"Hey, Jess," Corey said, wrapping one arm around her in return. "You've met everyone?"

"Yep. Minako introduced me..." Jess frowned as she looked Minako over; she was easily distracted too, it seemed. "Hey...I'm not criticising, but explain to me again why you're wearing pyjamas?"

The blonde pressed her fingertips together, fidgeting in embarrassment. "It's what I was wearing when this whole mess started...and I haven't had a chance to grab other clothes."

"Hmm, I'm pretty sure we're about the same size..." Jess' eyes lit up as she reached out and grabbed hold of Minako's hand. "Come up to my room, I'm sure we can find something else for you to wear!"

Minako returned her smile with one of her own. "You're the best!"

The two girls disappeared up the stairs, leaving everyone else in stunned silence.

"It's no wonder they get along so well," Rei muttered in English. "They're basically the same person!"

Haruka nodded. "It sure seems that way, huh?"

Mamoru let out a loud sigh and slumped further down on the couch. "Overly-enigmatic master of the obvious? _Really_?"

Usagi reached out to pat his shoulder gently. "There, there, Mamo-chan...someone had to tell you eventually."

Corey looked on in confusion. "What the hell happened to him?"

Setsuna massaged her temples wearily. "Your girlfriend."

* * *

Minako leaned back in her chair, completely stuffed. The dining table was crowded with pizza boxes, though everyone seemed to have had their fill for the most part. She looked over at Corey and smiled faintly; he was busy mediating. Chibiusa and Hotaru were complaining again about being seated at the 'kids table' - the small fold-up Sam had dug out for some extra room.

"We're not kids," Chibiusa grumbled. "This is humiliating!"

"I want to sit at the big table too," Hotaru agreed quietly.

"It's like I told you both before," Corey said patiently. "It's not a matter of age, it's a matter of _height_. McLeod family tradition states that in the absence of children, the shortest people sit at the folding table. Now, we were two seats short at the dining table, so as the two shortest people here you got stuck at the fold-up. It happened to me and Jess growing up, and now it's your turn."

"Well, if you sat here once…" Hotaru managed a smile. "Then I don't mind so much."

"No, 'Taru, come on!" Chibiusa cried . "We're supposed to stick together on this!"

Minako leaned over and kissed Corey on the cheek as he slipped back onto the chair beside her. "You've gotten a lot better with them."

"Yeah, well...the moon helped. It was sorta sink or swim up there, and I don't like the idea of sinking."

Minako allowed herself a quiet giggle. "I don't blame you." She composed herself and leaned in closer. "Now, since we're done eating, how about you fill us in on your trip to the past? You said you had a plan for dealing with the Revenant Knight?"

"Yeah!" Rei agreed quickly. "Enough suspense already! It's time for an explanation."

"Alright, alright, that's fair." He turned to Sam and Jess. "Sorry, you two, but I'm gonna switch to Japanese for a while. It just makes things easier."

Jess replied with a nonchalant shrug. "That's cool. I was thinking I should probably grab a shower anyway." She smiled at Minako as she pushed her chair back. "Come hang out with me after, if you're not too tired."

Her excitement was contagious. "I will."

"I'll leave you all to it as well." Sam rose to her feet and gave Corey a kiss on the cheek. "You know where the spare blankets and pillows are."

He groaned. "Yes, mom…"

Minako held back another giggle as Sam followed her daughter upstairs. Despite all his tough talk, Corey was _such _a momma's boy. It was adorable!

"Alright," Haruka called, leaning forward over the table. "Lay it on us, Tinman. What's the deal?"

Corey nodded and stretched carefully. "I know Minako probably filled most of you in already, but I spent three weeks in the Silver Millennium."

Minako was pretty sure she'd told everyone too.

"I met my past-self," he continued, "and convinced him to give me access to the Guardian Knight archives." His hand disappeared behind his back, reemerging a second later holding the old katana from his apartment. Minako looked on, puzzled, as he placed it on the table before him. "It took me pretty much the entire three weeks I was there, but I finally found these." He produced two thick, leather bound books next; they hit the table with an audible thud; Corey began flipping through the first one immediately. "To cut a long story short, I discovered a technique that combines the power of my Judicial Flames with the Silver Crystal itself."

"What?!" It was a pretty common reaction, one Minako found herself joining in on. Corey slid the book over to Usagi and pointed out one line in particular.

She peered down at it curiously. "Divine...Judicial...Ordination?" Her eyes widened. "I've never heard of it."

Ami slipped her reading glasses on and reached for the book herself. "Hmm…it looks like it doesn't just combine your powers...it _amplifies _them." Her fingers drummed against the table as she read. "Perhaps they develop some kind of resonance pattern, resulting in a phase cascade convergence that causes…" She trailed off, finally noticing the blank stares she was getting from everyone else. A tired sigh slipped from her lips as she removed her glasses again. "So...it amplifies them."

"Usagi!" Rei's sharp rebuke cut through the silence like a knife.

The ponytailed blonde froze, her fingertips hovering just over another slice of pizza.

The miko shook her head in disbelief. "That's like your seventh or eighth slice! If you keep putting it away like that you're gonna get fa-"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence, Pyro!" Usagi snapped.

Chibiusa snickered loudly behind them. "Look out, it's Sailor Pizza!"

"What'd you just say, you brat?"

Corey sighed in frustration. "If we could just-"

Setsuna slammed her palm down hard on the table; Minako jumped just like everyone else. "Can we all just _focus_, please?!"

It had the desired effect; everyone went silent again...though Usagi _did _end up with another slice of pizza.

"So we have a weapon against the Revenant Knight," Mamoru said hastily. "How do we use it?"

"I'm not sure," Titus admitted. "The Revenant Knight is simply _using _Noboru Hayashida's body."

"He's possessing it?" Rei asked. "Like he wanted to do...to me?"

"I believe so," the cat replied. "Even if we did manage to destroy him, he would likely just return to his real body."

Luna frowned as she looked over at him. "And we would have revealed our secret weapon for nothing."

"So we hit him where he'll really feel it." Haruka raised a clenched fist. "His true form."

"That does seem to be the logical conclusion," Ami agreed.

"Aren't we forgetting something?" Makoto leaned forward, resting her arms on the table. "He's up in space somewhere...well out of our reach."

"Most likely between Jupiter and Mars," Titus said quietly.

Corey seemed to hesitate. "He may be in space right now...but we know where he's headed."

"Earth," Hotaru whispered.

Minako realised she was being unusually quiet, but she didn't really have anything further to contribute. It seemed they had two options. Return to Tokyo immediately and take the offensive, or wait for the Revenant Knight's true body to arrive and try to land a crippling blow then. She had to admit she wasn't sure which choice was right either.

Artemis sounded pretty doubtful. "So, what? We actually let him come here? Wasn't the original plan to _prevent _him from getting anywhere near Earth?"

"Plans change," she murmured. _It sounds like we don't really have a choice._

"Haruka's actually right." It seemed to physically pain Corey to admit it, too. "We have to hit his real body, surprise him...and destroy him."

"And we can't do that from here," Usagi agreed reluctantly. "So we have to wait for him to arrive."

Makoto rubbed her face wearily. "That sounds like suicide...but when has that ever stopped us?"

"It does seems a touch irrational," Michiru said with a frown.

Artemis' eyes narrowed. "All we've heard from Titus this entire time is how bad it will be if the Revenant Knight actually makes it to Earth. Now we're talking about _waiting _for his arrival?" He sighed wearily. "Are we _sure _this is what we want to do?"

"I don't think we should rush into a decision," Rei agreed. "I'll admit it sounds like this is our only real course of action, but it won't hurt to consider all the possibilities."

Michiru wasn't that calm. "We barely managed to defeat Wrath and Ruin! Minako and Ami were nearly killed, and you were only facing _three _of the Sailor Marauders! Now you want to let their master approach Earth with his full power?"

"What do you suggest we do instead?" Usagi asked softly. "I'll gladly hear any suggestions you might have. Any of you."

Ami glanced around anxiously. "We don't have to come up with the entire plan tonight; we have time to think things over."

"Everyone is tired," Luna agreed. "We have the answer now, thanks to Corey; perhaps we should sleep on it and revisit this in the morning?"

Setsuna slid her chair back and stood, leaving the room without another word.

"Setsuna?" Hotaru called. "Where are you going?"

Usagi shrugged. "Looks like that's it for tonight." She stifled a yawn. "Wow, I am kinda tired."

Minako turned to Corey as he stood. "Cutie?"

"I'm gonna go check on Setsuna."

"Want some company?" she asked.

"I'm good." He smiled back at her reassuringly. "I've been meaning to check in with her since I got back from the past. Now seems like as good a time as any."

"Oh, okay. I'll see you in a bit, then." She let out a quiet sigh as he walked away, before pushing her own chair back. _I guess I'll go see what Jess is up to._

* * *

Corey found Setsuna without too much trouble; she was sitting on the back porch. She glanced up at him silently as the door closed behind him. In truth, he wasn't really sure where to begin either. _How do you go about asking if you somehow messed up time?_

Thankfully, Setsuna saved him the trouble and broke the ice. "I can feel a rather nasty headache coming on. I just needed some quiet; things were becoming quite animated inside."

"Want some aspirin?"

"I'd prefer a good night's rest. It should suffice." She paused just a moment. "I've actually been waiting for a chance to speak with you privately, Corey. I...wanted to thank you."

"Thank me?" he repeated. "For what?"

"You showed impressive restraint during your time in the Silver Millennium." Setsuna graced him with a rare smile. "Most would not have been able to resist such temptation."

He sighed heavily. _Damn it. _He actually felt guilty for lying to her - even if it was only a lie of omission. "I have to confess, Setsuna, I _did _try to change Garrod's path...but it didn't work out so well."

"I already know." She raised an eyebrow. "I _was _curious whether you would tell me or not...and in turn I'll admit to being pleasantly surprised by your honesty. I appreciate it."

He swallowed nervously. "Then…I didn't...?"

"Rest easy, Corey. You changed nothing of consequence."

_Nothing of consequence_, he thought. "So did I change anything in our time or not?"

"Princess Mina didn't die alone," Setsuna reminded him. "But the only change that resulted in was granting you some bonus points with Minako. There was no harm done to the timeline."

Corey breathed a sigh of relief. "There was so much I wanted to change," he admitted. "You have no idea how hard it was to hold back!"

Setsuna surprised him with a somewhat bitter laugh. "That's where you're wrong, Corey. I'm quite literally the Guardian of Time; I wield the Garnet Rod and I stand on guard at the Space-Time Door, but I am forbidden from using the bulk of my power." He detected a clear note of frustration in her voice. "I've seen so much in the course of my duties; so many things I wish I could change. So many wrongs I wish I could right. It is..._maddening_." She turned back towards him, a wistful smile on her lips. "I assure you...I know all too well how tempted you were."

Corey was surprised by her frank honesty _and _the glimpse into her role as Sailor Pluto. "Perhaps I'm the one who has no idea. I can't even imagine how frustrating that must be." He hesitated a second time; this had led him to a question he'd had since first meeting Setsuna. "Just how much do you know about what's coming?"

Setsuna remained silent for several seconds; he wasn't sure if she was just gathering her thoughts or preparing a lie. "I do know _something_ of the future, but…"

"But you're forbidden from discussing it."

"As always," she agreed.

"Maddening," he said suddenly. "I get it now." He looked up at the half-moon overhead, and let another gentle sigh slip from his lips. "I think, maybe, the Moon Kingdom was meant to fall. But then I worry that's just me being selfish...trying to justify my silence to Corval."

Setsuna raised an eyebrow. "What do your instincts tell you?"

"They tell me...even if we _had _managed to save the kingdom from Metalia there just would have been something else. Some other crisis to defend against. The nobles would have revolted...or perhaps some new threat would have arrived from outside the solar system." Corey let his head fall forward slowly. "It was the Moon Kingdom's time. Its fall, all that death and destruction? It paved the way for the lives we live now. That was ultimately what made up my mind; I couldn't risk the world we live in for just a chance at saving the one we knew."

Setsuna rose to her feet slowly, and smiled again. "Queen Serenity once told me of a young and inexperienced Guardian Knight of Justice who was wise beyond his years. I admit, Corey, I judged you an arrogant fool on our first meeting…but I think I'm finally starting to see what Her Highness was referring to."

"Are….are we having a _moment _right now?" Corey asked, feeling a smile of his own spread across his face. "No taunts, no barbs. Just a nice, friendly conversation?"

"Why, I do believe we are," she agreed.

He chuckled quietly. "You're a frustratingly enigmatic woman, Setsuna…but I'm glad to know you all the same."

"My thanks, _Sir _Justice."

He glared at her in mock irritation. "Oh, don't you start that too."

The door swung open behind him and Hotaru joined them on the porch. "Setsuna? Are you coming back inside soon?"

Setsuna nodded gently. "Yes. I do believe we're just about finished out here." She paused. "Have the others stopped bickering yet?"

Hotaru managed a quiet laugh. "For the most part, but Usagi went for her ninth slice of pizza. Rei and Chibiusa called her Sailor Pizza again and she wasn't very happy."

"I'll bet," Corey murmured.

The Guardian of Time let out a weary sigh. "The future queen of Earth..."

"To be fair, she pulls it together when she needs to." Corey stretched carefully, his back protesting at first before loosening up. "That's all that really matters, in the end."

"I suppose you have a point," Setsuna admitted. "Well then, shall we return to the others?"

"Lead the way."

* * *

Minako heard familiar footsteps climbing the stairs and flashed Jess and Rei and smile. "Alright, I think I'm off to bed. 'Night, girls!"

"Night, Minako!" Jess cooed.

"Goodnight," Rei agreed.

She opened Jess' bedroom door and spotted Corey just as she'd thought; he was carrying the old katana from his apartment. She flashed him a radiant smile. "Hey! How'd your talk with Setsuna go?"

"Surprisingly well," he admitted. "We actually had a moment." He panicked a moment later. "Uh, I mean a _friend _moment!"

She giggled. "I knew that, silly. The idea of you and Setsuna together is just...well, it's hilarious! It would become an exercise in patience, really. Who kills who first?"

Corey considered that. "If I was dating Setsuna...I'd probably kill _myself._"

"My point exactly," she said cheerfully. "So, no jealousy." That was when she remembered Makoto's overly-affectionate hug back on the moon...which soured her mood. _I don't know what's up with her, but she'd better not be trying to steal my cutie or there'll be hell to pay!_

"Well, goodnight. I'll see you in-"

"Goodnight?" she echoed. "Why? Are you going somewhere?"

Corey was clearly confused. "Aren't you sleeping in Jess' room?"

"Nope!" She shook her head emphatically. "I swapped with Rei, and she swapped with Mamoru. So he's in the guest room with Usagi and Chibiusa, Rei's bunking with Jess, and I get to share with you!"

Much to her surprise, there was no 'uh' or stammering; Corey just shrugged. "Okay." He pushed open the door at the end of the hall marked 'Keep Out' and stepped inside.

Minako followed him in and stopped in the doorway. _This is Corey's room. His _real _room, where he grew up. _She began flitting about, staring at everything in wide-eyed wonder. Her fingers reached out to pick at the strings on a beaten-up guitar in the corner. "You play?"

He glanced over. "Yeah, a little. Not as much as I'd like, though. Not for a while."

She'd already moved on to his desk, scanning the shelves above it. _Books on Rome, historic battles, knights, swordplay...Corey certainly keeps to a pattern. _Another sword hung on the wall, similar in design to Justiciar but nowhere near as beautiful. "Is this…?"

"It's just a replica," he called, rummaging through one of his drawers. "I got it from my uncle when I was sixteen."

She smiled as she ran her fingertip along the _back _of the blade; she'd learned that lesson the hard way with his katana. "So, bedtime?"

"Almost," he agreed. "I just need to take care of something first."

She dropped her pyjamas onto the bed and tugged her shirt over her head without even thinking about it.

Corey blushed furiously. "Minako! What the hell are you doing?!"

"What?" The blonde glanced down at her chest and frowned. "Isn't it a little far into our relationship to be getting embarrassed about my boobs?"

"It's just kinda weird...my mom's right down the hall!"

The blonde shrugged as she slipped into her camisole."Okay, okay...I can understand that, I guess. I'll keep the girls under wraps from now on."

Corey grunted noncommittally as he pulled a couple of cloths and a small bottle from the drawer in front of him. He sank to the floor cross-legged and arranged them around him, before reaching up for the katana.

"That sword really does mean a lot to you, doesn't it?"

He nodded gently as he drew it carefully from its sheath. "It's all I really have left of Dawkins...and it served me well when I was stuck in the past; kinda like he was looking out for me one last time."

Minako settled down on her knees behind him and wrapped her arms around his neck, watching as he began wiping the blade down with one of the cloths. "I'm sure he _was _looking out for you, Corey. Now...talk me through this. What exactly are you doing?"

"You don't need to-"

She smiled and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek. "It's important to you, so it's important to me." Minako slipped around and settled down beside him. "So explain it. I want to know. How do I clean a katana?"

A faint smile crossed his lips. "Alright. You have to get all the oil and debris off the blade first - anything that could cause it to rust. You take a fine cloth and work your way down from the hilt…"

Minako smiled contentedly as she listened to him talk. She'd been driven from her home, all the way to the moon and back...but here, with Corey, she knew it was all going to be okay.

* * *

AN: The planning begins for the battle with the Revenant Knight, and rampant silliness ensues in typical Senshi fashion. Corey and Setsuna have also taken their first real steps towards the friendship on display in Nostalgia Trip. Going by my outline, we've got another chapter in America before gearing up for the finale of Act Three, and Last Guardian Knight as a whole. Thanks as always to my regular reviewers, you guys keep me on target and motivated! Back with the next installment soon!


	22. Checking Out Desmond

"Wow…" Chibiusa sounded anything but impressed. "There's not so much to do in this town, huh?"

Corey shot her a dirty look. "I'm so sorry my hometown isn't LA or New York."

"You should be," she countered grumpily. "Desmond is boring!"

"It's Des Moines!" He forced himself to take a deep breath and relax. The day had actually started out well enough, in hindsight. There were some minor fights over the shower and hair dryer, but nothing too intense. Minako swore Setsuna nearly killed her when she asked for five more minutes – and her damp hair would seem to confirm her story – but that was the worst of it. His mom cooked up an impressive breakfast spread for everyone - which was very well received - and then it was time to plan. Or so he thought, anyway. After only a few minutes a few of the girls decided they wanted to take the opportunity to get out and see the city. A few of the girls meaning Usagi, Chibiusa and Makoto. Hotaru decided to come along as soon as he was elected tour guide – no surprises there.

And that was where the trouble started. His Japanese guests seemed to have this romantic notion of American city life while, in reality, Des Moines was fairly unremarkable when you really got out into it. Just like _most _American cities not named Los Angeles or New York. Hell, just like most cities anywhere in the _world_.

Usagi and Rei sniped at each other constantly, though he was sure it was just part of their normal routine, and Minako was unusually quiet as she wandered along beside him – he wasn't sure if he should be relieved or worried. Chibiusa and Hotaru were bored - something the pink-haired girl was _not _afraid to share - while Makoto, Mamoru and Setsuna seemed ambivalent about the whole thing. He wasn't sure why the Guardian of Time even bothered to come along, though he suspected it had something to do with Hotaru.

_So here I am_, he thought miserably. _Playing tour guide for a bunch of bored Japanese girls in the city of Des Moines. With absolutely no idea where to take them next. I think I'd rather just go home._

"Chibiusa's lack of geographical awareness notwithstanding," Setsuna said wearily, "we really should be back at Corey's house planning for the Revenant Knight's arrival."

Usagi flashed her a brilliant smile. "Oh, come on, Setsuna. You heard Titus; he's somewhere around Jupiter or Mars. We can afford to take one day off to unwind!"

"Yeah, Puu!" Chibiusa agreed. "You really need to learn how to relax!"

Corey was just glad the spotlight had come off his hometown's status as 'boring'. _My god, hanging out with these girls can be frustrating sometimes! They all call Minako crazy, but some days I think the rest of them could give her a run for her money!_

"Oooh!" Usagi squealed, looking into a café's window. "That menu looks incredible! Is it time for lunch?"

Mamoru checked his watch. "Well, surprisingly, yes…but that breakfast was-"

"How can you even think about food after the breakfast Sam made for us?" Rei demanded. "It was a-" Her stomach cut her off as it rumbled loudly and the miko turned bright red.

Usagi leaned in with a gleeful smirk. "You were saying, Rei?"

"I-I was saying…" Rei let her head fall forward in surrender. "…let's eat."

Makoto erupted in a fit of laughter. "I can't believe you two finally agreed on something!"

Chibiusa was snickering as well. "Food, no less!"

Rei sniffed haughtily. "Well, Usagi had to get _something _right eventually. Even she couldn't be wrong forever!"

The blonde's triumphant smirk fell quickly into a pout. "Too mean, Rei!"

Mamoru shook his head as he found himself suddenly pulled on ahead by Chibiusa.

"Come on, Mamo-chan!" she called. "Let's find somewhere nice to eat!"

"Wait up, Chibiusa!" Hotaru hurried after her with Setsuna in tow.

Corey was happy to admit he found the sight of the normally refined and dignified Sailor Pluto being dragged around by an eleven-year-old hilarious. He turned to Minako to point that out but found her staring straight ahead, apparently deep in thought. Her hand was still in his, their fingers interlocked. It was quite pleasant. _It's such a nice, normal couple thing to do, _he thought, _walking down the street hand in hand. It's a shame we haven't had time for more moments like this._

He squeezed her hand gently. "Still with me?"

She looked up quickly, surprised. "Oh. Sorry, did I space out?"

Corey toyed with the idea of messing with her but decided against it; she was already quiet, and for Minako that meant she was thinking. "Nah. Not really. You okay?"

He could have sworn her eyes flicked over to Makoto. "Yeah. I'm fine."

"Alright." He chose not to press the issue here. "The others want to get some lunch. You hungry?"

She thought about it for a moment. "I could eat."

He was going to point out that she hadn't really answered his question when Makoto shouldered him lightly. "Hey, Corey! We asked you a question!"

That was embarrassing. It looked like _he_ was the one spacing out. "Sorry?"

"Got any recommendations?" Her hand came to rest gently on his forearm – _not _for the first time that day, either.

Corey felt Minako's fingers closing in tighter around his own. There it was; that same possessive response she'd had on the moon when Makoto hugged him. _Is she actually jealous, _he wondered. _Does Makoto like me after all...and I just can't see it? Why me, though, and why out of nowhere like this?_

"Uh…" He swallowed past the sudden lump his throat. "What are you in the mood for?"

"Oh, I don't know," she said with a shrug. "Something American."

He let out a pained yelp as his girlfriend clamped down on his hand _hard_. "Minako! My hand! You're gonna break it!"

Within minutes they were inside a diner Corey remembered for its pork sandwiches; they were even able to score a booth. Makoto brushed past him and slid in first, leaving him stuck between her and Minako. It was a rather awkward position given what had just happened outside.

Minako's eyebrow was starting to twitch again. _I could cut the tension with my sword, _he thought nervously. _Minako's gonna explode if she doesn't vent soon_. That seemed to be out of his control at this point, though.

Usagi was excitedly reading over the menu. "Ooh! I'll have that…no, _that_! Oh, but that looks so good too!" She turned to her boyfriend and flashed what Corey recognised as her 'puppy-dog' face. "Mamo-chan…we have enough for an entrée too, right? Or maybe _two _entrees!"

Rei sighed and buried her face in her hands, while Setsuna stared at the ceiling as if in silent prayer.

"Me too!" Chibiusa added, grabbing hold of Mamoru's other arm. "If Usagi gets two entrees then so do I!"

Corey felt sorry for Mamoru; he was caught in almost as bad a position as he was.

"Any suggestions?" Makoto asked, leaning in close.

"I was a lot shorter the last time I was here," he said cautiously. "I don't really remember what was good and what wasn't." It was a lie, but Corey had a feeling he needed to be very careful with his choice of words. _If Minako _does_ snap, I'm right in the line of fire!_

She actually _giggled_ like Minako would, too - something he couldn't ever remember her doing before. It was certainly a surprise…especially in response to such a bad joke.

"Try the pulled pork sandwich or some kind of beef," he said awkwardly. "You can't really go wrong."

"Good advice," Makoto replied, squeezing his arm again. "Thanks for-"

Minako slammed her hands down on the table as she leapt to her feet – Corey was sure he actually heard her _growl_.

"Minako?" Usagi seemed nervous. "Are you okay?"

"Uh-oh," Rei murmured.

His girlfriend turned towards the brunette slowly. "Makoto?" Her voice was _far _too sweet to be genuine. "I have to go to the bathroom."

The brunette responded with a look of confusion. "Okay, Minako. So…go?"

Minako's hand lashed out and snagged her wrist. "You're coming with me!" The angry blonde dragged Makoto _over _a startled Corey and out of the booth. "Let's go!"

"Wait just a minute!"

She pulled a visibly pissed Makoto along behind her, demonstrating surprising strength in the process. They disappeared into the ladies room and the door slammed shut behind them.

Rei let out a quiet sigh. "That actually took longer than I thought it would."

Usagi nodded faintly. "Mm-hmm."

"Am I the only one who doesn't know what's going on right now?" Corey asked.

Mamoru dropped his head into his hands. "Yep."

Usagi blinked in confusion. "Did you really not notice that Makoto's been a little more…_affectionate_ lately?"

"That hug back on the moon," Rei added. "Giggling at your stupid jokes? That sort of thing."

"Her hug weirded me out a little," he admitted, "but everyone seemed kind of emotional at the time so I figured I was just being an idiot."

Usagi shrugged as she placed her menu down. "You _were_ being an idiot…but not for the reason you think. You may not have noticed what's going on but Minako sure did."

That didn't sound right. "But Minako's never come across as the jealous type before."

Everyone stared back at him blankly, including Mamoru and Setsuna.

He frowned suspiciously. "So you're telling me that Minako _does _have a reason to be jealous?!"

"You _cannot _seriously be this dense," Rei muttered, rubbing her temples wearily.

Usagi heaved an irritated sigh and rolled her eyes. "I'm sorry to say but he really is, Rei."

"Really, Corey?" Chibiusa asked. "I'm _twelve _and I noticed!"

Rei pinched the bridge of her nose and glared at him. "Mako's been acting like a fourteen-year-old girl with a crush! How blind are you?!"

"A _crush_?!" Corey's startled cry drew the attention of everyone in the diner. "Why is everyone crushing on _me_ all of a sudden?" He noticed the stares, as well as Hotaru's abrupt blush, and lowered his voice. "I went through high school without a single girlfriend! Why am I suddenly attractive to women now?!"

It was Rei's turn to roll her eyes. "You're such an idiot."

Usagi offered a sage nod as she toyed with the menu in front of her. "You really are."

Corey looked over at Mamoru and Setsuna for help, but found the only other guy in the group focused on his menu and Setsuna…laughing. "I'm not seeing it. What's changed? Why is-"

Usagi definitely sounded irritated now. "Why don't you ask Minako why she _really _loves you sometime. Then you'll have your answer."

"I'll bet it has almost nothing to do with the past at all," Rei agreed.

He considered their words as he stared at the bathroom door again. _I hope Minako doesn't kill Makoto in there. That would be bad…_

* * *

"What the hell, Minako?!" Makoto glared back at her angry friend; the blonde stood in front of the door with her arms folded across her chest.

"That's _my _line," she retorted. "What do you think you're doing?"

"What?!"

"Constantly flirting with Corey right in front of me," Minako snapped. "That's what!"

"Whoa, whoa! Flirting?!" Makoto held up her hands in protest. "I'm not _flirting_!"

Minako's eyes narrowed into thin slits. "Oh? What would _you_ call it then?"

"We were just messing around," she said. "Like friends do!"

"Oh, friends, is it?" Sarcasm practically dripped from Minako's words. "The giggling, touching his arm all the time, that _stupid _'something American' line-"

Makoto cut her off. "Hey, now wait just a sec! Touching his arm? Maybe today I-"

"Immaterial!" Minako clearly wasn't listening right now.

The brunette continued on undaunted. "And that 'something American' line was about the food!"

"Oh, really?! What about that hug back on the moon, huh? What was _that _about, Makoto?"

Makoto was forced to admit she wasn't quite sure about that…and angry Minako was throwing her off. She hadn't seen her friend this pissed off in a long time.

"That was _way _more than just a friend hug!" The blonde raised an accusatory finger. "I feel like I'm watching sixteen-year-old me try to seduce a guy! You're using all the same tricks I would!"

Makoto turned to stare at herself in the mirror. _Is Minako right? Do I actually like Corey? Have I been flirting with him without even realising it? _She _was _sure about one thing, at least. "No matter what you think, the 'something American' line was _not _flirting! _I_ was referring to the food. _You _added the emphasis on _American_, Minako!"

"I…" She hesitated a moment and nodded reluctantly. "Okay, so maybe I started looking a little _too_ hard for more flirting when I got angry…but that doesn't excuse the rest of it!" She switched back to righteous anger in an instant. "Corey is _my _boyfriend, Makoto, and I'm not gonna just stand back and watch you flirt with him!"

_Could it be true_, Makoto wondered. _I don't think I've been flirting with him…but come to think I have been touching Corey a lot more than usual. But is that so strange? We're closer than we used to be. He _was _there for me after Garrett - no, _Wrath – _after he died. Maybe…somehow…I transferred some of my feelings onto him? _She knew that wasn't it almost right away. _No. I'm not in love with Corey. I _know _that. But Minako _may _be right…maybe there _is _something to all this._

The blonde was clearly waiting for an answer. Makoto sighed reluctantly and nodded. "I guess, when I think about it…I can see why you'd be upset."

The blonde remained silent but some of her more visible anger seemed to fade.

"And I guess…I can see what _you _see in Corey. I doubt he even noticed any of this…" She let out an embarrassed laugh. "At least, I _hope _he didn't!" She turned a sad smile on Minako. "That just proves how dedicated he is to you, Minako. Corey's a really great guy."

The rest of Minako's anger evaporated just like that and she settled back against the bathroom door with a sigh. "He _is_ pretty great. Utterly clueless when it comes to girls and matters of the heart, which just might explain why he _didn't_ notice what you've been doing…but pretty great all the same."

"At first, when he disappeared? I was devastated for you! But then I realised _I_ was going to miss him too. At the time, I _thought_ it was just as a friend, but…" Makoto trailed off again; that didn't seem to matter now. "That's not really important, I suppose. Look, I…I didn't really realise I was taking things so far, Minako, I swear…but it stops here. That's a promise."

The blonde didn't reply; she just kept staring back into Makoto's eyes.

"Are we…gonna be okay?"

Minako continued her silent stare for several seconds before finally allowing a small smile to replace her frown. "Yeah, Mako…of course we will. I care about you too much to let this ruin our friendship." She paused for another few seconds, clearly thinking over her next words carefully. "I know it's been hard for you since Wrath…well, I _know_. And I know Corey's been a good friend to you since then as well."

Makoto nodded faintly. "I'll take a step back, if that's what-"

"No, no…don't do that." Minako took a deep breath in. "I don't want to be _that _kind of girlfriend, who starts making demands about friendships and everything…and I don't want to be that kind of friend either. Just…please, do me a favour and cut out the flirty stuff? It's driving me crazy…and we both know I don't need any help with that."

"_That_ I can do," Makoto agreed. even as a small amount of worry began to set in. "On that note, how does _Other _Minako feel about all this?" 'Other Minako' was the name she'd given her friend's slightly more _intense _side - she'd seen it rage out of control before, and she did _not _want to be on the receiving end.

Minako hummed thoughtfully before flashing a cheerful smile. "She wants to tackle you to the floor and force feed you your own hair."

"What?!" Makoto took a reflexive step backwards.

"Don't worry!" Minako assured her, flashing a V-sign. "I have her under control. No hair eating for you today."

The brunette smiled nervously. "Well, uh…that's good?"

Minako held her arms open and smiled. "Would a hug help convince you I'm not gonna hurt you?"

Makoto accepted the invitation cautiously and sighed again as Minako's arms closed around her. "I'm sorry, Minako. I honestly didn't plan any of this…but that's no excuse."

"It's okay, Mako. I guess…" She let out a sigh of her own. "I guess it's possible I…er…well, that is to say I _may _have…um…overreacted…"

"What was that?" Makoto asked coyly, knowing full well what Minako had just admitted to.

The blonde's cheeks flushed bright red. "I _said_ maybe I…oh, come on, you _know_ how I get when I start overthinking stuff!"

Makoto pulled away slowly and laughed again. _Boy, do I! _"Listen…do me a favour? I get the feeling Corey's kinda clueless about all this, so…can we keep it that way? I think I'd die of embarrassment if he knew what I was _really _doing."

Minako patted her on the shoulder. "Consider it our little secret, Mako." Her stomach rumbled loudly and she looked away in embarrassment. "Let's go eat. I'm suddenly starving!"

* * *

Ami tried to focus entirely on the task at hand – Titus was talking her through breaking into NASA's mainframe. The cat wanted to confirm the Revenant Knight's position and ETA. She couldn't help but be a little distracted, though. The two books Corey brought back with him from the past were sitting on the desk beside her. Ami was amazed at being able to physically touch something from a past she only partially remembered.

"I suspect we're almost through." Titus took his eyes off the screen for a moment and cleared his throat. "You seem quiet, Ami, which for you is saying something. Could it be you miss Ryo?"

"You make it sound like such a shock," she said distantly. Her focus remained on the screen; she was making progress. "I love him, Titus. Of course being separated from him like this is difficult."

He nodded gently. "I imagine you didn't even get a chance to let him know the situation before we were forced to flee."

Ami allowed herself a small smile. "He knows, Titus; Ryo always knows. We'll see each other again in a little while. That, _I _know." The computer beeped as the NASA logo appeared on the screen and she smiled victoriously. "I'm in."

"Excellent work, my dear." The cat stared at the screen with interest as she began browsing through the databanks. "There. Anomaly 564. That was it."

Ami opened the folder and immediately began reading. "It looks like they know they're not dealing with simple stellar drift anymore. They have documented evidence of variable acceleration _and_ course correction. They're speculating it's some kind of alien craft…and they're alarmed by the rapid approach."

"And yet they're keeping it to themselves," Titus muttered bitterly. "Do they have a revised ETA?"

Ami entered another command and felt her blood freeze in her veins. "Five days…but if he continues accelerating that could change-" She stopped mid-sentence as she made another discovery. "Hold on…that's strange."

"What is it?"

"Someone else is accessing the Revenant Knight file," she murmured. "They're piggybacking on the same data packet we are."

"Really?" Titus leaned in closer. "Can you identify them?"

"I'm working on it." She gently pushed his head out of the way and pulled out her own computer. _All I need is an interface with the PC_, she thought, _and I'll be set. _Sure enough, her pocket computer was more than up to the challenge. "It looks like they're working to sever the connection and cover their tracks, but they weren't counting on Moon Kingdom technology." Ami continued to tap away on the keys, backtracking the other signal. "They're routing their signal all over the world; whoever they are, they're good!"

With an almost disappointed beep, her computer announced it had lost the signal.

"Were you able to get anything?" Titus asked.

"No location I'm afraid, but there _was_ a reference to a 'Paladin One'." She glanced up at him. "Does that ring any bells, Titus?"

"Not at all," he admitted. "But I'll wager a foreign power noticed the Revenant Knight for themselves and came looking for more information."

"I suppose so." Ami backed out of NASA's databanks, covering her tracks as she went – it wouldn't do to get Sam and Jess arrested for cybercrime. "It doesn't really matter, in the end." She brought up the Japan Times homepage out of habit and began skimming over the headlines; she gasped in shock. "Oh, god…"

"What is it?" Titus stared up at the screen with wide eyes himself. "So…it seems the Revenant Knight has changed the game in his favour yet again."

"This is no game, Titus!" she snapped, surprising herself with her sudden anger.

"No," he agreed. "I suppose it isn't. Regardless…we need to inform the others at once."

* * *

Minako walked alongside Corey, content with holding his hand again. She had to admit it felt nice to be a normal couple for once. They'd had precious little time to just relax and enjoy each other's company with all the attacks and other craziness. _Maybe once all this is over_, she thought, _we can go somewhere quiet and relax. Just the two of us._

"I'm excited to see what American karaoke is like!" Usagi squealed.

"I've tried telling you already," Corey said wearily. "American karaoke is _not _the same as what you're used to back home! You're not gonna-"

"I've never tried karaoke before," Chibiusa admitted. "Is it fun?"

"It can be," Rei said, glaring pointedly at Minako. "Though _someone _always makes it a competition!"

The blonde laughed awkwardly. "I can't help singing so well…and I _like _the competition mode!"

Usagi joined Rei in her withering stare. "Just give the rest of us a chance sometime, okay?"

The group stepped through the doors and came to an abrupt stop. Minako summed up everyone's thoughts with three simple words. "It's so…_plain_!"

"Where are the lights?" Usagi asked. "The posters, the screens! There's almost nothing on the walls at all!"

"I tried to warn you," Corey muttered. "But you wouldn't listen."

"Wow…" Despite her choice of words Chibiusa didn't sound impressed in the slightest. "Even the karaoke sucks in Desmond!"

"It's Des Moines!" Corey snapped. "DES MOINES! You could at least get the name right if you're gonna keep insulting my hometown!"

The pink-haired girl flashed an evil smirk. "I have to remember this when I get back to my own time. Young you is _really_ easy to stir up!"

Minako squeezed Corey's hand reassuringly; the last thing they needed was him having a meltdown.

"Well…we _are _already here." Usagi looked around at the group. "Should we give it a try anyway?"

Mamoru began drifting towards the door slowly. "There's plenty more to see and do outside-"

Usagi's hand reached out and seized his shirt. "You stay."

Rei shrugged casually. "I'm happy with whatever everyone else wants to do." She turned to Makoto. "What do you think, Mako?"

The brunette shrugged too. "I don't mind. If Usagi wants to sing karaoke, we can do that."

Hotaru smiled up at Setsuna; Minako was sure she was actually pressing the cuteness factor. "You're going to sing, right, Setsuna?"

The Guardian of Time froze like a deer caught in the headlights. "Uh…well…"

Usagi was trying her own 'cute' look on Mamoru. "Come on, Mamo-chan. You _never _want to sing when we go to karaoke." She batted her eyelashes as her pupils seemed to double in size. "Sing me a song…please?"

Minako marched over to the counter - unwittingly dragging Corey along with her by virtue of holding his hand - and flashed the hostess a dazzling smile. "We'd like a room, please!"

They were in their private room only a couple of minutes later. Usagi immediately began scrolling through the song list. "Well this is no good! It's all in English!"

Rei actually smacked her head against the wall. "We're in America, Odango; of course it is!"

"Try the 'International' category," Corey said wearily. "They might have some J-Pop or something in there."

"I don't see a…oh!" Usagi's grin indicated she'd found some after all. "Great!" The music kicked in and she burst into song without fear.

Minako cheered her on, clapping enthusiastically, but her thoughts were focused on someone else. She glanced over at Makoto; her friend had been pretty quiet since their 'talk' back at the diner, and she was beginning to feel guilty herself. _I really let my jealousy get the better of me back there. I think I should apologise for being…well, such a bitch._

She leaned into Corey a little and noticed that he was pretty quiet too. "Hey, you. What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Just thinking."

Minako persisted, realising vaguely she'd begun speaking in English automatically. "About?"

All he gave her in reply was a noncommittal grunt.

That was enough to make her irritable. "Come on, Corey. We're past this already. Talk to me!"

He nodded gently. "Alright. What did you talk to Makoto about?"

Minako glanced over at her friend again. _She _did _ask __me not to say anything...and since Corey hasn't figured it out for himself what harm is there in a little white lie? _"Oh, you know…just girl talk."

"Uh-huh." Clearly Corey wasn't convinced. "So she doesn't have a crush on me, then?"

She swallowed nervously. "Oh…you _did _notice, huh?"

His cheeks reddened a little. "Well, Usagi and Rei _may_ have pointed it out to me."

_Thanks a lot, girls, _she thought sourly, reaching out to squeeze his hand. "She doesn't have a crush on you, Corey. Not really. She's just feeling a little confused after that whole thing with Wrath and you've been really nice to her." Minako smiled faintly. "It's easy to mistake kindness for tacit attraction. I fell victim to that, once…when I was younger." _And it drove me to cut myself off from two very dear friends_, she added silently.

"Why me, though?"

"Well, I just explained…" she said, confused. "You were nice-"

"Yeah, but why _me_?" he asked pointedly. "First Hotaru, and now Makoto? Why are girls suddenly interested in me?"

"Oh, come on…" she said, giggling. "I have a hard time believing it's so sudden. I bet the girls were all over you in high school." Minako almost slapped herself in the forehead for that one - she _really _didn't want to hear about that.

Corey shook his head. "Nope. No girls. I was kind of a loner, though. I had a couple of friends...but we were all loners who sort of banded together. The girls didn't really seem to notice me."

"Well, that's your own fault," Minako said teasingly. "Because I can assure you that you _are _quite cute, Mr. McLeod. It's your personality they didn't get to see. I mean, those eyes…" She trailed off and hastily cleared her throat, aware that she was on a dangerous trajectory. _Easy, Minako…bring it back on track!_

"Why do_ you_ love me?"

"What?" Minako was caught off-guard by his question and Setsuna's frantic attempts to avoid taking the microphone as the current song finished.

"No! I mean, I…er…I'm fine." She waved her hands in a _very_ undignified manner. "Someone else can go first!"

"Oh, fine." Usagi thrust the microphone towards her. "Minako? You're up!"

"Uh, no thanks, Usagi," she said hastily. "I'll go last; give everyone else a chance to go ahead of me before I show off my brilliance, you know?"

Rei uttered a sigh of exasperation. "Oh, give it to me, then!"

Minako sighed in relief as a new song began playing, and turned back to Corey. "Why are you asking me this all of a sudden?"

"It was Usagi's idea," he admitted. "I asked her why Makoto would be interested in me, and she told me to ask you why you love me."

Minako noted Usagi was watching them with interest and resisted the urge to walk over and pull on one of her ponytails. "Okay, Corey. That's easy. At first? I just thought you were cute; I was attracted to you from the moment we first met. But then I started to get to know you a little better. We had that talk at the shrine and I saw that under all your bravado you were a lot deeper than I thought. More vulnerable." She glanced over at Usagi and smiled faintly. "You clearly cared about Usagi a lot despite just meeting her, which meant you were kind-hearted...and you _know_ the rest. I came to like you a lot, and then as you opened up more I grew to love you."

She wasn't sure if he looked relieved or worried. "So it's not just because we used to be Corval and Mina?"

Minako laughed. "Oh, silly cutie…I guess that's part of it now…but I didn't fall in love with Corval – I didn't even _remember _him until much later." She squeezed his hand again. "I fell in love with _you_, Corey. Because you're smart, you make me laugh, you take care of me _and _you respect me. Most important of all you love _me _for who I am…silly, crazy quirks and all. How can I _not_ love you for that, you idiot?"

"I'll let that one go," he said with a laugh, "but only because I love you too."

Corey stopped abruptly, and Minako realised at about the same that the song had ended and all eyes were on them.

"Aww…" Usagi cooed. "That's adorable!"

Rei just rolled her eyes and feigned gagging. "Sickening more like…" Her faint smile made it clear she was only joking, however.

Hotaru wasn't smiling at all, though. "But…"

"Oh, damn," Corey murmured.

She brushed past Setsuna and slipped out of the room.

"Hotaru?" Chibiusa called. "Come back!"

Minako realised exactly what had happened. _She's crushing hard, and we just confessed our love all over again right in front of her. It's one thing to know the person you like is with someone else, but it's another thing entirely to have them remind you of it right to your face! _She leapt out of the booth and followed the girl. "Hotaru, wait!"

She heard Corey follow behind her. "I knew this was gonna happen sooner or later!"

"You were right," Minako admitted, hurrying through the front doors and out into the sunlight. "We should have dealt with her crush right away." She looked around, but couldn't see any trace of the girl. _She can really move when she wants to!_

"We need to find her," he said firmly. "Hotaru's already hurt. All we can do now is try to soften the blow."

Minako just nodded mutely as she let out a sad sigh. _Damn it all._

* * *

AN: Another chapter down. Quite a bit of fluff again but, as hinted at with Ami and Titus's scene, things _are_ starting to happen back in Tokyo that will force our heroes to return sooner rather than later. I wanted to resolve the Makoto/Minako tension this chapter - it was never planned to be a long subplot - and I couldn't resist giving Chibusa (and everyone else!) some more ammo to use against Corey, hence the karaoke scene. I hadn't planned on addressing Hotaru's crush at this stage in the story but it just seemed to happen naturally - watching the object of your crush declare his love for someone else, no matter how much you already knew about it? That can't be easy to handle, and even I'm not sure how Corey and Minako will talk her down yet.

I'd like to thank those who followed recently, and of course everyone else who continues to read and review - I got into a bit of a rough patch a few chapters ago and your support helped me power through the writer's block. I hope to have the next chapter together for you all shortly. :-)


	23. The Empty

Corey actually felt a little guilty as he raised his compass. Hotaru clearly wanted to be left alone; did he really have the right to follow her? _It's for her own good, _he decided. _I can't leave it like this. I have to be sure she understands...and that she knows things _will_ get better again._

Minako seemed distracted now, the initial shock of Hotaru's flight having worn off. "I know we have to find Hotaru, Corey…but did you _really _not notice Makoto was kinda flirting with you?"

"I'm not a complete idiot," he replied idly, taking a few tentative steps in the direction the compass indicated. "I noticed…but I figured I was just misreading the situation."

She didn't sound convinced. "Misreading the situation? Really?"

Corey let his eyes dip to the ground. "It's like I said before. Girls were never really into me. You were the first one to show an actual interest…until Hotaru. I admit I've never really been confident-"

"Oh," Minako said softly. "You actually meant it when you asked me why I love you, didn't you? You really can't see what girls see in you! _That's _why you wrote off Mako's extra attention as anything but flirting!"

He couldn't help but blush at her rather frank appraisal of his self-confidence. "Well, yeah…"

She closed the distance between them and linked her arm around his. "Corey, I meant every word I said in there. You're a sweet, caring, thoughtful guy who accepts everyone for who they are. I mean, look at Chibiusa and Hotaru. _You _reached them back on the moon. Not us. _You. _Even now, you _could_ just let Hotaru go…but here you are trying to help her. _That's _why girls like you, silly!" She lowered her voice to a whisper as her head came to rest on his shoulder. "Even if I'm the only girl who's _allowed _to like you…"

Once again she'd managed to say exactly what he needed to hear; he couldn't help but smile. "Thanks, Minako." His arm came up around her as they continued down the street. "That helps a lot. Even if I still can't believe _you _got jealous! You seemed so level-headed in the beginning…"

It was her turn to blush. "Well, I'm sorry, but you're _my _cutie and only _I _get to flirt with you!" A low mutter followed. "Part of me still kinda wants to smoosh Mako's face…"

"Smoosh her face?" he repeated. "Yikes!"

"Crazy me isn't always about silly fun," Minako admitted. "That's why Fury scared me so much. Deep down inside I've always wondered if I really _am_ crazy. I guess, if I'm honest…I worry I might end up like her someday."

"That could never happen." He stopped and pulled her into a tight hug. "You're nothing like Fury. I know everyone jokes that you're crazy – me included – but you're not. You're just a little…"

She raised an eyebrow curiously. "A little _what_?"

Corey searched his mind for the right word. "…hyperactive?"

Minako managed a quiet laugh. "How very diplomatic of you."

"Well, I…" Corey trailed off; he'd spotted Hotaru over Minako's shoulder. "There she is."

Minako quickly pulled away and turned. "Alright, how should we-"

He took hold of her hand gently. "Don't take this the wrong way, Minako, but _I _need to be the one to talk to her. I'm the one she's crushing on, and that makes this my fault."

She opened her mouth, closed it again, thought about it for a moment, and finally spoke. "I suppose I _should _trust you better than that. You did reach her and Chibiusa on the moon, after all."

"I'm going in." Corey took a deep breath and began heading towards Hotaru. This was the second time he'd upset her with something he said…but should he really have to feel guilty for loving his girlfriend? _No_, he thought, _but I _do _feel guilty she was hurt by it. _Minako followed behind him, but kept her distance. That was good.

"Hotaru?" he called.

She didn't look to be crying, but she was staring blankly at the ground at her feet and showed no interest in looking up.

"Listen…I'm sorry you…" Everything he could say sounded so hollow. _I'm sorry you were hurt. I'm sorry I can't like you the way you like me. I'm sorry I love my girlfriend. _Yep. Hollow, all of it. _How am I going to reach her_, he wondered. _This shouldn't be so hard. For god's sake, I _know _what she's going through! _There was a thought. Maybe _that_ was how he got through to her?

He sat down beside her carefully and clasped his hands in his lap. "I had a crush once, you know."

Hotaru's eyes turned up towards him slowly. "You…?"

"Yep. Shocking, I know." Corey exhaled slowly; he was digging back through unpleasant memories now. "Chrissy Taylor. She was a senior at my high school. I was only fifteen, then. My dad had walked out on us a few months earlier and I was mad at _everyone_."

"R-Really?"

"Uh-huh. I was constantly in trouble at school; cussing out teachers, vandalising school property, cutting class…you name it, I was probably doing it."

"That doesn't sound like you." Hotaru still wasn't looking at him but at least she was talking.

Corey nodded faintly. "I was a very different person back then." He glanced up at Minako and found her smiling faintly - she was hearing all this for the first time, too. "After a while, the faculty decided to stick me in a peer support program. A couple times a week I'd go hang out with an older student and we'd talk…maybe do some kind of activity. The hope was I'd open up a little and mellow out."

She finally met his gaze. "Did it work?"

"Not at all," he admitted, laughing quietly. "Not at first, anyway. But that was how I met Chrissy; she was my assigned 'buddy' in the program." A quiet sigh escaped his lips. "She was always really nice to me, even when I gave her nothing but grief in return, and after a while I _did _start to relax. But things didn't end there. I began to realise I liked Chrissy. _Like _liked."

It seemed his strategy was working - Hotaru was engaged in his story now. "Did she like you back?"

"I thought so. I was such a dork…bringing her flowers and telling her how pretty she was. I guess that's what I thought romance was back then." Corey had to laugh at his own stupidity, even now. _I really had no idea about love at all. _"She was really nice about it, too. Always smiling, telling me I was sweet and thanking me for my compliments. She even told me I was cute, once. I knew I was in love. I _knew_ she was the perfect girl for me."

"What happened?" Hotaru asked softly, glancing over at Minako. "Why aren't you guys still together?"

There it was. She didn't understand…and it was his unfortunate duty to make sure she did. "Because none of it was _real_, Hotaru. We were never together. Chrissy graduated and moved away for college. I never saw her again."

"What?" She was clearly shocked. "But…_why_? Why would she do that?"

"Because she didn't really feel the same way about me," he said gently. "Chrissy was just being nice to me because she knew I was already hurt. She didn't want to cause me any further pain. But in the end, by letting me continue to believe I had a shot…she hurt me a whole lot more than she ever could have by just being honest from the start."

"But…" She trailed off as her brow furrowed in thought.

He sighed. _In many ways she's much older than she looks…but she _is _still only_ _eleven. _"She didn't like me back, Hotaru. Chrissy only acted that way because she was worried rejecting me would hurt me. When she left without saying anything…it hurt me even more. I felt like my heart had been torn out of my chest and stepped on. I was devastated…and it took me months to get over it." He paused as he considered his next words carefully; he wanted to avoid being direct if he could. "I just wish she'd actually cared enough to tell me the truth; that there was no way we could ever be together."

Hotaru's gaze drifted back to the ground. "That's what you're telling me now…isn't it."

She wasn't asking him a question. Corey took a deep breath and nodded. "Yes. I know it doesn't feel like it right now, Hotaru…but I'm your friend. I _know_ this hurts you a lot…but _as _your friend I'd rather hurt you a little now…than a whole lot later. Do you understand?"

A single tear slid down her cheek…and that one tear made him feel worse than he'd felt in a long time. _I just broke her heart_, he thought despondently. _Not what I had planned when I woke up this morning. Not by a long shot. _She sniffled abruptly and reached up to wipe her eyes. "Yes, Corey. I understand."

Her relatively calm response caught him off-guard. "I, er…"

"I'd like to be alone now. Please." Hotaru's voice was completely flat.

That response wasn't quite as unexpected. He glanced over at Minako and saw her nod gently. "Sure thing, Hotaru. You, uh…you know where we'll be, right?"

She nodded mutely, her eyes locked on the ground at her feet.

"Alright." Corey hesitated again, unsure if he should continue…but it was advice he wished someone had given him at the time. "Don't make the same mistake I did, Hotaru. Talk to Setsuna, or Chibiusa. Just talk to _someone_. Don't bottle it all up inside, okay? It'll only make the pain worse."

Minako met him with a warm hug as he walked away. "God, that was painful to watch."

"It was worse from where I was sitting," he murmured. "Crushes, huh? I guess they never end well."

"I wouldn't be _quite_ so pessimistic," she countered, "but they _can_ really hurt." Her cheek came to rest on his chest. "I know that all too well myself…"

Setsuna appeared as if out of nowhere. "I assume you found Hotaru?"

Minako jumped in his arms and turned an angry glare on the Guardian of Time. "Seriously? You had to pull that crap _again_, Setsuna?!"

"Believe it or not, scaring you was _not _my intent this time," she replied. "Now…is Hotaru alright?"

"She's over there in the park," Corey said, rubbing Minako's back in an attempt to sooth her nerves. "She probably won't admit it, but…she needs someone to talk to."

She glanced over at the park and nodded slowly. "I understand. Thank you for-"

The Guardian of Time was cut off by an insistent beep from their communicators; Minako was the first to answer, flipping the watch-like device open. "Ami? What's the matter?"

Ami's anxious voice sent shivers down Corey's spine. "You all need to get back here, _now_. There's something terribly wrong in Tokyo!"

* * *

Usagi watched the screen carefully as Ami hit play. Whatever it was, it had clearly _once _been human; a pale, green creature with translucent skin lumbered towards the screen, reaching out for whoever was holding the camera. Strangely, it wore a bathrobe. "Grandma! Grandma, please, stop!" Their pleas tugged at her heart immediately; they sounded so panicked.

Ami paused the image on the creature's face. It seemed to be decaying...and small wisps of black smoke curled into the air around it. "As you can see…the Revenant Knight has raised the stakes."

"What the hell is that thing?" Sam asked warily. Her and Jess were sitting in on their meeting; it was being held in their living room, after all.

"Nothing good." Rei's eyes remained locked on the screen. "I can sense the Revenant Knight's touch just looking at it."

"I'm really starting to dislike that guy," Chibiusa whimpered. "No wonder nobody talks about him anymore…"

"Nobody seems to know what they are." Titus leapt onto the TV unit and faced the group, a sombre expression on his face. "The first reported 'case' appeared less than twenty-four hours ago."

Setsuna was her usual, focused self. "You say _case_, Titus. The authorities are treating it as some sort of medical condition?"

"They've been predictably tight-lipped so far," the cat replied. "But what little information _has _been released seems to indicate that, yes."

Corey's fist hit the coffee table; Usagi jumped at the sudden sound.

"This is sick," he muttered. "He's using innocent people like his own personal playthings to try and force us into a confrontation!"

Jess patted him on the back. "Easy, bro. Try not to take it out on the furniture."

"How many of these _creatures_ have surfaced so far?" Haruka asked.

Michiru nodded in agreement. "And how have they been dealt with?"

Ami gestured at the screen somewhat reluctantly. "This is the fifth or sixth reported appearance so far. Four of them have been…_dealt with_ by police when they attacked other people."

_Dealt with_, Usagi thought sadly. She couldn't tear her eyes away from the screen. "Grandma…"

"Usako?" Mamoru whispered. "Are you alright?"

"This was someone's grandmother," she said, louder, "and she's been turned into this...this _thing_! Because of us." Her head dipped forward again. "Because of _me_…"

Luna brushed against her arm reassuringly. "No, Usagi. This isn't your fault. This isn't _anyone's_ fault!"

Usagi rose slowly to her feet. "You're wrong, Luna." Another wave of burning anger was beginning to grow in her chest. "Corey's right. That woman and the others like her were turned to lure us back to Tokyo. That makes us responsible!" She made a quick decision. "We have to go back. Now!"

"With respect, Princess," Titus said formally, "that is _exactly _what the Revenant Knight wants. He has no idea where we are so he's trying to draw us out."

Artemis nodded frantically. "You can't make a rash-"

"I can and I _will_," she snapped. "I won't allow any more innocent people to be hurt in our place! I'm done running from him!"

"Usagi…" Makoto reached out to squeeze her shoulder gently. "I understand you're upset but we're no closer to understanding how we're even going to fight him!"

"_And_ we're still fugitives," Michiru pointed out. "The police will be looking for us."

Usagi shook Makoto loose and folded her arms across her chest. "I don't care about any of that! I'm tired of hiding from the Revenant Knight! I'm tired of constantly feeling like the victim in all of this! From this point on we are going to stand up to him and tell him no more!"

"I agree with you, Usagi," Minako said hesitantly, "but we need a bit more of a plan than that. If we go off half-locked we're just going to get ourselves killed!"

"And that," Rei agreed quietly, "doesn't help anyone. Misquoted phrase or no."

Minako blinked innocently. "Misquoted? When?"

Usagi sat again and sighed. "Right. You're right, of course…" She let her eyes roam around the room. "Does anyone have any ideas?"

"Yeah," Corey said. "I blink in first and scout out a location for a base. Maybe I can even get a feel for the state of the city."

Setsuna nodded in approval. "That's a sound suggestion, Corey. I'll accompany you."

"Huh?" Minako's eyes almost popped out of her skull.

Makoto seemed to agree. "Why on Earth would _you_ want to do that?"

"Because I have no friends or family in Tokyo for the Revenant Knight to use against me," Setsuna replied. "If they _are _looking for me they should have a tougher time of it."

"Sound logic as always, Setsuna," Titus murmured. "It's good to be dealing with a professional for a change."

"Alright," Usagi agreed, shooting the cat a dirty look that she saw repeated around the room; mostly from her fellow Inner Senshi. "While you two are hunting for hideouts, I guess the rest of us will try and figure out exactly how we're going to fight the Revenant Knight when the rest of him shows up."

Titus turned to his charge. "I'll tag along as well, Corey. I have some matters to attend to…and I _do_ have some experience reconnoitering hostile territory, after all."

"A fact you never tire of bringing up," Corey said irritably. "Sure. It won't be the first time I've carried you along on a teleport."

"What's going on?" Sam asked suddenly. "I may not understand the language but I _know _you're up to something."

Corey forgot they'd been speaking in Japanese again; it seemed so natural. He shot Minako an awkward look as he tried to figure out how to best explain things to his mother. "Listen, mom…I, uh…I'm going back to Tokyo. We all are. We have to stop this from-"

She held up a hand. "I don't need to know the details, Corey. I figured as much." Her eyes locked on his. "I know you won't listen if I tell you not to go…so I'll settle on telling you to be careful. I expect to see you back here when all this is done. Understood?"

He leaned across to hug her. "You've got it, mom."

Setsuna summoned the Garnet Rod and raised it, opening a glowing violet 'doorway' in the middle of the room. "I'll meet you in Tokyo, then. Do you know the old teahouse in the Shinjuku district?"

"Got it. Be there in a flash."

Haruka hugged Setsuna. "Be careful, Setsuna. Don't go causing any trouble until we're there to pull your ass out of the fire, okay?"

Chibiusa followed it with a hug of her own. "Be _very _careful, Puu."

"I'll see you all shortly," she said, allowing herself a small smile. She stepped through the portal and disappeared, with the portal following a moment later.

Usagi turned to Corey and smiled faintly. "That goes double for you."

He replied with a cocky grin. "Oh, come on. I'll be fine! Why're you picking on me?"

Corey was putting on a brave face, but she could tell he was just as nervous about all this as the rest of them.

"Because she knows you too well," Minako answered, hugging him tightly. "Don't go starting any trouble without the rest of us, okay? If you get yourself killed I'll…well, I'll kill you!"

He laughed quietly. "I'm not sure that's actually possible, Minako."

"Oh, shut up!" She kissed him quickly before stepping back. "You'd better get going before I try to stop you."

He turned to Jess. "Hug, little sis?"

She accepted it quickly. "Just be careful, okay?"

"Always, Jess." Corey stepped back and motioned towards Titus. "Come on, you. Let's go."

The cat jumped onto his shoulders and sighed. "I do hate this part."

"We actually have something in common," Minako murmured.

"Wait!" Ami called, rushing over. She whispered something to Corey that Usagi couldn't quite make out and handed him what looked like an envelope. "Thanks, Corey."

He nodded in reply and disappeared in a flash of light…leaving a quiet room behind.

Usagi let out a long sigh and turned to face the rest of her friends. "Alright, now for the fun part. Let's talk strategy!"

Chibiusa pouted. "That doesn't sound fun at all!"

* * *

Corey wandered through Warehouse 8 beside Setsuna – their search for a hideout had led them to the abandoned dockyard. Getting here had been more than a little nerve-wracking. He kept waiting for the police to swoop in and attempt an arrest, or worse; Terror and Pride with a swarm of Constructs. But despite his fears they'd made it here safely…and things looked promising.

"This is perfect," he observed. "Removed enough from the streets to avoid any unwanted attention but close enough to the city centre to be practical."

"I'm glad we're on the same page," Setsuna agreed.

He peered into what had probably been an office at some point. It was a separate structure, almost another building in the centre of the warehouse. "This should serve as a decent enough dorm for you and the rest of the girls. All we need are cots or inflatable mattresses and some blankets. It'll be almost cozy!"

"You and I clearly have different definitions of cozy," Setsuna remarked dryly, "but your point is well taken. I believe we've found our base of operations."

Corey nodded as he peered deeper into the warehouse; it got quite dark further in. "It's not like it needs to house us for long. The Revenant Knight will be here in five days…if that."

She nodded mutely and just like that they descended into silence again. That was nothing new for them, of course – they may have had a friendlier moment on his back porch the night before but they were still far from best friends. That combined with Setsuna's naturally quiet nature didn't exactly make conversation easy.

Setsuna surprised him again, though, and broke the silence first. "Hotaru's alright…if you were concerned."

"I was worried," he confessed. "How's she handling it?"

"She's hurt, as you no doubt guessed…but she understands that you and Minako didn't mean to cause her pain."

He had to admit that _was_ something of a relief.

Her eyes narrowed just a little. "That does _not _mean she's ready to face you, though. Her..._feelings_ are apparently quite strong."

"I understand." _At least she's not completely devastated_, he thought. A strange groan caught his attention and he peered into the dark. _I don't see anything. Did I imagine it?_ _Was it a piece of machinery?_

Setsuna's voice softened slightly. "She'll need time and space to deal with her feelings, but I think you made the right call in meeting her head on."

"I'm glad," Corey replied. "I didn't mean to hurt her…but when that happened anyway I just tried to do what I could to make sure it wouldn't get any worse."

"You're full of surprises, Corey McLeod," she admitted. "I'm glad I was wrong about you."

A second groan drifted out of the darkness, closer this time. Now Corey knew he wasn't hearing things. "That doesn't sound good!"

Setsuna closed the distance between them and summoned her weapon as two shapes lumbered out of the shadows. They were similar to the creature from the news broadcast, but even more decayed.

"Did they track us here?" she wondered.

Corey shook his head quickly. "I doubt it. If they _did_ know where we are I'd expect to see Terror and Pride show up as well…with more than just two of these things."

"Stragglers, then?" Setsuna suggested. "Perhaps they were turned here and haven't found their way into the city yet?"

"That'd be my guess."

The unnamed creatures lunged forward, reaching out with bony fingers. Their skin was a dull, almost translucent green that had begun to fall away in places…revealing swirling black cloud underneath. It was virtually impossible to determine they'd ever been human.

Setsuna raised her transformation wand. "Pluto Crystal Power, Make Up!" There was a brief flare of violet light and Sailor Pluto stood in her place. The Senshi of Time slammed the Garnet Rod into the nearest creature's sternum and dropped it to the floor. The other lunged at her, tearing into the skin of her upper arm and drawing blood.

Corey summoned Justiciar but hesitated._ They used to be human, _he thought anxiously. _There must be a way to save them. Can we change them back somehow?_

"Justice!"

He looked up to find Titus standing on a girder above them. His formal address and subdued tone left no doubt he was all-business.

"They're too far gone! There's nothing left of the people they used to be! Put them out of their misery. Consider it a kindness."

The second creature closed in, lunging forward and reaching out with withered arms. Corey stepped around its attack with ease and removed its head with a single cut. The corpse fell apart in a cloud of dust before it could hit the floor. Sailor Pluto swung the heavy end of her staff into the other ghoul's face with enough force to crush it, and it too collapsed into a neat pile.

Titus dropped onto Corey's shoulders and down to the floor. "You did what you had to. I don't fully understand what they are yet but I _can_ say with certainty that they're no longer human. There were no higher brain functions at all on my scans. Think of them as living Constructs - they are nothing but simple, mindless automatons that exist for the sole purpose of serving their master."

"A horrifying fate indeed," Pluto murmured.

"With that unpleasantness dealt with…" Titus sat calmly. "I assume you two have decided on this as a suitable location for our base of operations?" His ability to move on so quickly still managed to surprise Corey, even after more than three years together.

"Yeah." Corey glanced down at the pile of dust at his feet one more time and exhaled. "This seems to be the perfect location. Quiet, but close to the city and without much risk of anyone stumbling in without warning." He looked back at the cat suspiciously. "How about you? Did you attend to those 'matters' you mentioned?"

"I was successful."

_Yep, _Corey thought grumpily. _He's as enigmatic as ever. No wonder him and Setsuna seem to get along so well!_

She cleared her throat. "If you two have no objections, I'll contact the others and have them teleport in."

"Fine by me," Corey replied. "I've got a quick errand to run. I'll be back in a sec."

"An errand?" Titus asked curiously.

"It's really more of a favour," he admitted, reaching into his jacket pocket for the envelope Ami had handed him.

The cat nodded slowly. "I see. Well, don't let me keep you."

"I'll be back in a minute." Corey closed his eyes and visualised the location Ami had described. There was a familiar sensation of falling…and he opened his eyes to find himself in Ryo's apartment, just as planned. _Ami's description was just about perfect, _he thought enviously. _I really wish I had her memory sometimes!_

He fished a pen out of his pocket and scribbled a brief note on the back of the envelope. "Docks. Warehouse…8. There we go." His eyes caught a framed photograph of a smiling Ami, and he left the envelope propped up against it.

"Boy, is she gonna be glad to see you, my friend." Corey allowed himself a tight smile before he blinked away again. There was work to be done.

* * *

Usagi grinned as she watched Ami and Ryo meet in an awkward embrace. She knew her friend had missed him a lot and she was glad to see them reunited. Her eyes widened in surprise as they shared a rather passionate kiss…but her stunned silence didn't last long. There was protocol to be followed!

"Woohoo!" Minako called, getting them started. "Go, Ami!"

"Get a room, you two!" Makoto added.

"That's the way to do it!" Usagi said, giggling in delight at their sudden discomfort.

Ami and Ryo turned bright red at the unexpected attention and Minako flashed a quick V-sign to Usagi. She nodded back at her fellow blonde; mission accomplished.

Rei was a little more focused on the task at hand. "Do you think you were followed, Ryo?"

He shook his head. "No. I made sure to check and I even circled around twice to be sure."

Usagi frowned at that little bit of information. _Isn't the Revenant Knight concerned by us at all?_

"You know," Corey murmured, "I'm beginning to suspect our old pal Rev doesn't consider us to be much of a threat."

Titus frowned too. "I agree. If I were in his position I'd be far more concerned with hunting you down." He glanced around in confusion after receiving several dirty looks. "In a purely hypothetical sense, of course!"

Artemis glared at him in annoyance. "Of course."

"Can you tell us anything else about these creatures on the news?" Makoto asked.

Ryo nodded as he sat beside Ami on a stack of pallets. "The first of those creatures was reported yesterday. It went berserk and killed two people before the police stopped it." He stared down at the floor sombrely. "People are being struck down by something evil…but they don't stay dead for long. Their bodies get back up and begin roaming, fixated on whatever they loved in life. It's as if something is taking their treasured memories and twisting them into some kind of obsession. That footage the news networks have been playing, of the grandmother? She went after her grandchildren and tried to kill them."

"Feeding on the living to extend his own wretched existence," Titus observed. "That sounds like the Revenant Knight, alright."

"How do you know all of this?" Haruka asked suspiciously. "None of that was reported by the media."

Ami smiled as she squeezed her boyfriend's hand. "Ryo still has some residual psychic abilities and foresight left over from his time as Bunbo."

"Bunbo?" Michiru repeated, scratching at her chin.

"I was the reincarnated form of one of the Seven Great Youma of the Dark Kingdom," Ryo explained calmly. "Sailor Moon healed me but, as Ami said…some of Bunbo's abilities remained afterwards."

Usagi fidgeted as she leaned forward, full of nervous energy. "You seem to know a lot about these creatures."

"Just flashes of insight, really." He shivered as he turned to face her. "They're _empty_, Usagi. That's the best way I can describe them - mindless ghouls that prey on the living."

"As decayed and corrupted as their master," Titus murmured.

"So they're 'Empty'," Makoto declared, emphasising the word. "It's as good a name as any."

"We have to call them something," Ami agreed. "Empty works."

"Listen, Usagi." Ryo's expression remained sombre, but a twinkle of hope glimmered in his eyes. "It's only a hunch, but when I think about them? I get the feeling you can heal them…at least for a time."

That perked her up a little. _Starlight Honeymoon Therapy Kiss…I originally used it to heal the Phages! _"You mean if we get to them quick enough we can return them to human form?" She leapt forward and hugged a surprised Ryo tight. "You're the best! Keep Ryo around, Ami! I love him!"

Ryo made a strangled, gasping noise and began to turn blue.

Mamoru tapped her on the shoulder frantically. "Usako!"

"He's not going anywhere!" Ami assured her. "Now, please, stop suffocating my boyfriend!"

* * *

Minako found Makoto alone in a quiet corner of the warehouse, sitting on a railing. She was still unsure exactly what to say…but she knew she couldn't leave things the way they were.

Her friend must have read her mind. "It's still kinda awkward even after making up, huh?"

"Yeah." Minako brought her arms up under her chest, hugging her elbows loosely. "I, uh…I wanted to say I was sorry, Mako."

"You don't have to apologise. I was in the wrong-"

"Maybe you were and maybe you weren't," Minako said, managing a faint smile. "That doesn't excuse my behaviour. I really unloaded on you back there, Mako. I feel bad about being so harsh...and I should have handled things better." She glanced down at the floor, suddenly embarrassed. "I found out today that jealousy can hit me as hard as anyone else…and I didn't like it at all."

Makoto considered that for a moment. "Well, I can't blame you for being pissed…so why don't we just agree we were both terrible friends for a minute there and move on?"

"Sounds good," Minako agreed, sitting down carefully on the railing beside her. "I am curious about one thing, Mako. With Terror and Pride back…are you worried Wrath will make an appearance too?"

"The thought had crossed my mind." Makoto reached up to rub her face wearily. "No matter what happens I _know _he's our enemy. He proved that in the end…despite what I might have felt for him." She glanced back at Minako curiously. "What about you? Think Fury's waiting in the wings somewhere for a chance at round two?"

"Oh, god, I hope not..." Minako admitted. "I had plenty of Fury last time. More than enough to last a lifetime!"

The brunette laughed quietly. "That's fair enough. For what it's worth, if she does return? I've got your back."

"And I've got yours, Mako. Even if I do still kinda want to smoosh your face…"

Makoto's eyes went wide. "Excuse me?!"

Minako was distracted by the sight of Sailor Moon dragging a strange object across the concrete. It looked like an old broom with a cardboard box stuck to one end…with a cartoonish sketch of the Revenant Knight's face scribbled on it. "What the heck is she up to now?!"

* * *

"Alright, Chibiusa," Sailor Moon declared. "You need to learn more powerful attacks if you're going to fight with us. Pink Sugar Heart Attack and Moon Tiara Action just aren't going to cut it anymore."

The younger Senshi frowned. "But-"

"I'm not sure this'll even work," she continued, "because you don't have the Spiral Heart Moon Rod. But we're going to give it our best shot, okay?"

"Okay…" Chibi Moon stared over at the crude target she'd set up. "What should I do?"

Sailor Moon reflected on how _she _usually formed this particular attack. "Close your eyes, Chibiusa. I want you to take a deep breath in. Focus your energy, and visualise a big, pink heart slamming into the Revenant Knight's stupid face! Have you got it?"

Chibi Moon nodded slowly. "Mm-hmm."

The blonde smiled. "Good. Now...repeat after me. Moon Spiral Heart Attack!"

The younger girl thrust her hands forward towards the target. "Moon Spiral Heart Attack!" A few glowing hearts appeared around her fingers but that was extent of it. "It didn't work...I guess I'm not strong enough yet."

"What kind of attitude is that?" Moon demanded. "Again!"

Chibi Moon repeated the process a second time. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and thrust her hands forward. "Moon Spiral Heart Attack!" The attack failed to materialise once again, but she _was_ able to generate more energy; Moon could see the number of hearts surrounding her fingers grow.

"Come on, Chibiusa." She took a knee before her and gripped her gently by her shoulders. "I know I give you a hard time about stealing my moves, but you were right. You _are _Sailor Moon as well…and you can and _will _steal this attack. That's an order! Now…one more time!"

Chibi Moon nodded and closed her eyes.

"Take a deep breath in."

She inhaled and raised her hands.

"Focus, Chibiusa," Moon called. "Visualise your attack in your mind!"

Pink hearts began to cluster around her fingers again, stronger and in greater numbers this time. She opened her eyes and locked them on the 'Revenant Knight'.

Moon clenched her fist. "Now, Chibiusa! Call it!"

The girl thrust her hands forward. "Moon Spiral Heart Attack!"

The target was crushed with a decent-sized pink heart. It was noticeably smaller than what Sailor Moon was used to casting, but it still had enough force behind it to dent the concrete around it.

"I did it…" Chibi Moon whispered. "I actually did it!"

Sailor Moon squealed in excitement as she hugged her. "Way to go, Chibiusa!" She gestured at the splintered target. "Just keep practicing. You only need to make it bigger. Bigger is _always _better when it comes to Moon Spiral Heart Attack!"

Chibi Moon hugged her back. "Thanks, Usagi! You're actually a pretty good teacher…when you want to be!"

Their good mood was shattered as Ami called out across the warehouse. "Usagi! I just intercepted some police chatter. More of the, er…_Empty_ have been reported at a mall not too far from here!"

Sailor Moon hurried over as the rest of the team assembled around her. "We have to get there and try to heal them. It's the only way to be sure it works!"

"We'll have to be careful," Minako pointed out nervously. "The police will be there too."

"That can't be helped," Moon said, summoning her Tiare. "It's time to show the people of Tokyo that we're not the villains they think we are!"

* * *

AN: Well, that turned out a little longer than I planned! Hopefully nobody was overly bothered by the higher word count this time out! Lots of character moments in this chapter, too – it was a little challenging to write in places but a lot of the dialogue seemed to come naturally and that always make things easier once I get in a flow.

We're about ten chapters out from the finale if my outline is still accurate. I've tried to keep Act Three a little more focused than Act Two but it's still tracking to be about the same length, if not longer – I hope everyone's still enjoying the ride! As always, thank you to everyone who's read, reviewed, followed, favourited or messaged me. I always get a lot of positive energy out of reading your comments. I'll be back with the next, much more action-packed instalment shortly!


	24. An Unpleasant Truth

Venus had to admit it felt great to actually be out doing something for a change. Her back barely bothered her anymore - she was leaping across rooftops like her old self again. She looked ahead as Moon and Mars cleared a wide gap and Venus followed suit, her legs absorbing the shock of her landing with ease. Their destination was just starting to come into view, a smallish mall that was host to an outbreak of Empty as Jupiter had dubbed them.

The brunette called out behind her. "Any updates, Mercury?"

"Not yet." She didn't even break stride; Venus was always amazed by Mercury's ability to run at full speed while staring at her computer. "From the chatter, though, I'd expect a heavy police presence."

Venus held back a groan as the flashing lights came into view. She really didn't like cops; especially annoying detectives named Wakagi. A small smile tuggered at her her lips as she thought of her old nemesis. _I wonder what he's up to these days. Maybe he got busted down to traffic cop…or something even more humiliating! A girl can dream, at least._

She slid to a stop beside Moon and Mars, peering down off the rooftop. Groups of armed police scurried around the street below as others set up barricades. It was a flurry of activity = they were obviously taking these attacks very seriously.

"Over there," Mars said quietly. "Special Assault Team."

A squad of men in black fatigues headed for the main entrance. Venus remembered them all too well from their last encounter. _They put a bullet in Jupiter's leg and did their best to finish the rest of us off, too. _She sighed irritably. _Cops. They suck!_

"We'll have to try and steer clear of them," Jupiter murmured, rubbing at her leg absently.

"Never mind the cops," Uranus said, cracking her knuckles impatiently. "What's _our _plan of attack?"

Moon stepped back from the ledge, a wary frown on her face. "That's simple. We heal those who've been turned."

"Jupiter's right, though," Mercury said. "We need to avoid direct contact with the police wherever possible. They'll only delay us in our real mission."

"That, and we don't want to give them any more reason to treat us like the enemy," Neptune agreed.

Justice raised his hand and pointed across the street. "Those windows should make for a decent entry point."

"We usually try to avoid property damage, cutie…" Venus trailed off as she glanced down at the street once more, and finally shrugged. "But I guess desperate times call for desperate measures."

Mercury coughed. "That's desperate times call for…"

Venus just folded her arms across her chest and waited patiently.

"Oh." The blue-haired Senshi blushed. "That was right, wasn't it?"

Unbelievable. "I don't get them _all _wrong, you know!"

Sailor Moon stepped up to the ledge again and gave the street one last look. Her ponytails fluttered in the wind as she thought things over before finally coming to a decision. "We need to get inside...and we don't have time to find a way around the police." Her eyes locked on Uranus. "Do it."

"That's what I like to hear!" Uranus grinned as she turned and slammed her fist into the rooftop. "World Shaking!"

The roiling orange orb of destruction flew across the gap and tore a ragged hole in the side of the mall, shattering glass and concrete alike. The Senshi of the Sky leapt off the rooftop with a whooping cry and disappeared through the newly-created 'doorway'.

Mars jumped next and Venus followed her in. She added an unnecessary but oh-so-fun flip and landed gracefully inside the mall…right in front of two startled cops.

"Venus Love Me Chain!" She reacted instinctively as one of them reached for his gun; the golden links of her chain lashed out and wrapped around his pistol, tearing it from his hands.

Mars pointed a flame-shrouded finger at his partner. "I wouldn't risk it if I were you."

He froze, his fingertips barely an inch from his gun, before slowly raising his hands above his head.

"Smart decision," she said, nodding approvingly.

"Please, don't hurt us," the first one managed. "We're just doing our jobs!"

Mars let out a frustrated sigh. "As if we would."

Venus just rolled her eyes. Their whimpering was already making her irritable. "Newsflash, genius, we're not the bad guys here! Now get outta here!" When they continued to stare she swung her chain like a whip. "Go on! Shoo!"

Mars snorted derisively as they fled. "Idiots."

"They're just scared," Mercury said softly. "Remember, they have every reason to think we're their enemy."

"They should be focusing on the real criminals," Venus muttered. "Not beautiful, kind-hearted girls just trying to help any way they can!"

Mars rolled her eyes. "Is there any chance you could leave out 'beautiful' when describing yourself?"

That made no sense to Venus. "Why would I do that?"

"That was so cool" Chibi Moon gushed. "I wish I had a chain..."

Moon sighed. "Oh, so now you want to start stealing Venus' powers too?" She sounded irritated but her smile served as proof she was only teasing.

"You're all mad..." Pluto shook her head in disbelief. "How any of you have managed to stay alive this long with such cavalier attitudes is beyond me!"

"And people think I have a stick up _my _butt," Mars muttered.

"Pluto's right," Moon said, ignoring Mars' barb. "We need to focus on finding the Empty and healing them!"

"I suggest we split up, then." Neptune gestured at the mall around them. "We'll be able to cover more ground in a shorter time."

"Agreed," Mercury said with a nod. "If Ryo's right…and he usually is…we don't have a lot of time."

Venus found herself staring at the distant food court; that was a lot of ground to cover. _This is bad. Who knows where these things are or how many of them are actually here?_

Justice' pauldrons shifted upwards – a sign of a shrug. "I'm sticking with you, Sailor Moon. It's in my oath."

"Well that makes my decision an easy one!" Venus closed the gap between them and latched onto his arm. "There's no way I'm letting you out of my sight again. You get abducted or lost in the past at the drop of a hat!"

"You make it sound like I'm accident prone or something."

She flash a sweet smile. "Prove me wrong, cutie."

"Wait just a minute!" Chibi Moon squeezed in between Justice and Sailor Moon and glared up at them with her hands on her hips. "You're not ditching me!"

Mamoru shrugged. "I guess that means I'm coming with you too."

Venus almost jumped; Mamoru had been so quiet she'd forgotten he was there!

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Mars forced her way into the little circle they'd formed. "Don't you think your group's getting a little big?"

"Mars is right," Mercury said. "There are three levels to search and twelve of us. Logically, that translates to three groups of four."

Venus' smile quickly fell into a pout; she could see where this was going. _Everyone has a good reason for going with Sailor Moon except me. They're gonna kick me out, and Corey will go missing all over again!_

He came to the rescue, though, however unwittingly. "Well, I'm not the kind of guy to get between a girl and her parents." He sighed and turned to face Uranus and Neptune. "I've already teamed up with you two before so I guess I'll volunteer again."

Neptune was unimpressed. "You could make it sound less like some sort of consolation prize!"

_Problem solved! _Venus slid in beside Justice and flashed them a cheerful smile. "And I'll come along to make sure you two don't lose my cutie again!"

"Great," Uranus muttered darkly. "We get saddled with Tinman _and _Little Miss Hyper!"

Neptune nudged her gently. "Oh, be nice."

"Chin up, Stretch," Justice said cheerfully. "It'll be fun!"

Venus was about to chime in but she found herself watching Sailor Saturn instead. The younger girl masked it quickly but there had definitely been a frown on her face. _She's uncomfortable around Corey, _she realised. _And me. _That little revelation threatened to bring back her own frown. _I really made a mess of things this time around. How could I misread Hotaru's feelings like that? _Her guilt was already beginning to grow. _The Goddess of Love got it wrong yet again…_

"Venus?" She realised Sailor Moon was talking to her. "Still with us?"

She nodded furiously, her cheeks burning. _Come on, Minako, get your head back in the game!_"Oh, yeah, I'm fine!" She had an idea, though. "I was just thinking…maybe you could take Saturn with you? I bet Chibi Moon would love teaming up with her and I'm sure Justice will feel better knowing you have a shield ability around."

Moon smiled, likely knowing exactly what she was thinking. "That sounds like a great idea. If that's alright with you, Saturn?"

The younger Senshi nodded silently and took a few steps towards Chibi Moon.

Mars turned to the remaining Senshi. "I guess that leaves me with Mercury, Jupiter and Pluto, then."

The Guardian of Time didn't seem all that thrilled; she nodded reluctantly. "Very well."

"Alright!" Moon began to back towards a nearby escalator. "Sweep the mall and let me know if you run into any of those Empty creatures. Most importantly, just be careful, okay?"

Tuxedo Kamen pointed frantically. "Usako-"

It was too late; her foot caught a loose can and she tumbled to the ground. "Owww…"

Mars leaned over her, her lips curled up in a gleeful grin. "What was that about being careful, Sailor Moon?"

She glared back at her as she rubbed her sore behind. "Oh, shut up!"

* * *

_A few minutes later…_

"Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Tuxedo Kamen asked, glancing back at her.

Moon frowned as she turned around, scanning the mall carefully. "A growl. I think it came from that sporting goods place we just passed."

"I didn't hear anything."

Chibi Moon broke off her conversation with Saturn. "Me neither."

Saturn didn't say anything but that was hardly unusual. Especially lately. _I don't really know all the details_, Moon thought, _but I guess Minako and Corey are handling it._ She headed for the store in question and stepped inside; she was sure she'd heard _something_. "I'm going to take a look. Back me up, Mamo-chan?"

"Always, Usako."

She moved through the deserted store carefully, eyes open for any signs of danger. She decided there was an eerie, otherworldly quality to an empty mall.

Saturn seemed to agree…though perhaps for different reasons. "This place feels wrong. I don't like it."

"You can say that again, Hotaru." Moon froze as another growl sounded further inside the store._ I knew_ _I heard something!_

"Alright…" Tuxedo Kamen reached into his jacket pocket and readied a rose. "I heard that one too."

They headed for the source of the growl, moving quietly through racks of outdoor clothing. She still couldn't see anything but they were close now, almost right on top of it. Her grip tightened around the Eternal Tiare as she leapt out from cover…right in front of a TV. An animated tiger ran across the screen and roared, making the exact sound they'd been tracking. Tiger Sportswear.

An awkward laugh escaped her lips as she turned and gripped the back of her head. "Well, it was an easy mistake to make, right? I mean any one of us could have made it-"

There was a blur of movement as one of the Empty lurched out from behind the display; it cracked Tuxedo Kamen across the back of the head with a golf club. "Fourrrrrrr!"

Chibi Moon rushed forward to stand before him protectively. "Leave him alone!" Her hand came up holding the Pink Moon Stick. "Pink Sugar Heart Attack!"

The Empty growled and flailed its arms as a stream of pink hearts hit it in the face. Moon was forced to reluctantly cringe. It seemed annoyed at best…though Chibi Moon _had _succeeded in diverting its attention away from Mamoru; he was able to toss a quick rose petals-first into its face, snapping its head back and staggering it.

Saturn raised her Glaive but hesitated. "My attacks may be too powerful and I don't want to hurt it..."

The Empty took a step forward but seemed to trip; its fingers locked around Chibi Moon's ankle as it hit the floor and she began to sway almost immediately.

"I…I don't feel so good..." Her eyes drooped sleepily. "I think…it's draining..."

_They're like the Revenant Knight_, Moon realised. _It's using Chibiusa's energy to sustain itself! _She cocked her leg back and leapt forward, channelling a little of her old hero Sailor V. "Sailor Moon Kick!" Her boot caught the Empty right under the chin, knocking it to the ground. She snapped her head back around to Chibi Moon. "Tiara!"

The younger girl was definitely woozy but she nodded anyway. "Right! Moon Tiara Action!" She hurled the glowing discus forward, hitting the creature right in the chest and tearing open the faint aura around it.

_Now's my chance. _Moon raised her Tiare and focused. "Starlight Honeymoon Therapy Kiss!" Multiple blasts of pink light lashed out in a kaleidoscopic pattern, obscuring the creature. As it faded again she saw a man in his mid-twenties lying in its place. "Yes, it worked!"

Chibi Moon took a couple of unsteady steps forward and raised her hand, fingers splayed apart in a decent approximation of Sailor V's famous gesture. "You did it, Sailor Moon!"

Even Saturn's spirits seemed to have lifted. "I'm glad we could help him…"

Moon dropped into a crouch over Tuxedo Kamen. He was sitting up with a hand on the back of his head. "That really hurt."

"Oh, Mamo-chan," she said softly. "Are you okay?" She reached out to brush her fingertips over the back of his head and winced when they came away bloody.

He groaned painfully. "I'll live, but what do you say we leave this part out when we fill the others in?"

Moon couldn't help but laugh. "What's the matter? Worried it'll hurt your image as my stoic, mysterious protector?"

"Something like that. I remember when Tuxedo Kamen was the one saving _you..._"

Now that she knew he was alright she had have _some _fun with him. "Oh, yeah. Whatever happened to _that _Tuxedo Kamen?"

"Usako!"

* * *

Venus winced sympathetically as Uranus knocked another cop to the floor. While she held no great love for the police, she didn't really want anyone hurt either. Justice took the second cop down with a punch of his own and she quietly hoped again that he was holding back. _Getting hit with those gauntlets has to hurt! _

Uranus literally dusted off her hands as they began moving again. "You were a little slow off the mark back there, huh, Tinman?"

"Hey, we can't all be as brilliant as you, Stretch."

Corey's voice was muffled but Venus recognised his sarcastic voice when she heard it. She sighed in exasperation as they neared the food court. Corey and Haruka had been at it ever since they split from the main group, constantly sniping at one another as they moved through the deserted mall. "I'm really beginning to regret my decision to tag along, Neptune."

The aqua-haired Senshi managed a tired shrug. "Believe it or not this actually isn't that bad; they were a _lot_ worse in Ruin's sanctum. I think Haruka secretly enjoys her little feud with Corey."

Venus looked back at the two bickering teammates again and laughed. "If this is Haruka enjoying herself then I'd hate to see her when she's actually mad at him." A sudden sound distracted her and her head snapped up as she scanned for its source. "What's that?"

"What?"

"That hum," she said insistently. "It's in the distance now...but I'm sure it's getting closer."

Neptune frowned as she peered ahead. "I'm not quite sure. With the mall so quiet I'm hearing all sorts of things I'm not used to."

A golf cart swung around the corner wildly, tires screeching as it slid along on two wheels and almost toppled over. It righted itself at the last second, however, and accelerated as it headed straight for them.

Venus settled back into a defensive stance. "More cops?"

"I don't think so," Neptune said quickly. "Move!"

Venus dove to the side as the golf cart sped by, narrowly missing them. It slid out again and this time the driver couldn't recover; it hit a bench and launched into the air, crashing into a burger stand in the middle of the food court. The blonde picked herself up and headed right for the wreck, shaking her fist in the air. "Nice driving, you jerk! What the heck do you think you're doing?!"

Neptune sighed wearily and pinched the bridge of her nose. "That's unbelievable."

Justice approached the cart carefully. "I'm not sure they were thinking anything, Venus."

Two Empty rose from the remains of the cart and lurched towards the Guardian Knight. Their clothes were nothing but tattered rags but Venus thought she recognised them anyway. "They used to be mall security. Look at the hats!"

"Definitely rent-a-cops," Uranus agreed, stepping forward with a grin. "How lucky! I was just starting to get bored!"

"Try not to hurt them too bad!" Justice called. "We want to heal them, not kill them!"

"Yeah, yeah, I remember." Uranus dodged to the left as the nearest Empty reached for her, slapping its hand aside and landing a palm strike to its sternum. It staggered back as its companion swung at Justice wildly; he blocked the strike on his forearm and responded with a right cross to its face.

Venus was a little worried. "Careful! Those gauntlets look like they hurt!"

"Trust me, Venus, I know what I'm doing."

She moved carefully around the combatants with Neptune; Uranus and Justice seemed to be coping just fine which meant it was time to bring in Sailor Moon. She opened her communicator and put in the call. "Sailor Moon? You there?"

"Oh, you're fine, Mamo-chan!"

Venus frowned. _That wasn't the response I was expecting._

There was a brief pause before Sailor Moon spoke again. "Oops! What's up, Venus?"

"Um…we're in the food court on level two and we've got a couple of customers for you."

"Empty?" Moon asked.

Venus nodded. "They need the Starlight Honeymoon special and they need it now!"

"I'm on my way!"

As Venus lowered her arm again she caught a flicker of movement out of the corner of her eye and ducked; the Empty diving from the burger stand missed her but wound up tackling Neptune instead. It wore a red and white striped shirt with a little hat in the shape of a hamburger. _Definitely an employee!_

"Get off me!" Neptune struggled to free herself from its grip but she seemed to be weakening. "It's somehow draining my strength!"

Venus rushed forward and lashed out with her leg. "Sailor V...Kick!" She buried her toes in its jaw; the impact lifted it off its feet and slammed it into the ground. The blonde remembered her own worry about Justice's punches and cringed. _I wonder if this counts as hurting them too much._

One of the security Empty growled again as it rose to its feet. "Shoplifterrrrr..."

"Ryo was right!" Neptune said wearily, still stunned by the sudden energy loss. "They're focused on their lives before they were turned!"

Venus felt her own anger growing. "Jerkface has a lot to answer for!"

"Heads up!" Justice ran past with his Shield raised and crashed into the Empty, using the translucent disc like a battering ram to knock it back towards the other two. As they fell to the floor he pressed down on them holding the struggling creatures to the floor.

"That really is a cool trick," Venus murmured. "Though I like it more on eavesdropping Sailor Senshi..."

Uranus offered Neptune a hand. "You look like hell…are they really that bad?"

"It wasn't pleasant."

"Starlight Honeymoon Therapy Kiss!" A wave of pink light washed over the Empty in front of Justice; it faded seconds later and Venus saw two security guards and a burger stand employee lying in their places. It had worked!

Sailor Moon dropped into the food court in front of them followed by Chibi Moon, Saturn and a somewhat wobbly Tuxedo Kamen. Venus' planned greeting turned into a panicked warning as a police Special Assault Team rounded the corner and entered the food court. "Look out!"

They raised their guns without a word.

"Find cover!" Justice yelled.

"Silence Wall!" Saturn raised her Glaive and stepped in front of Moon and Chibi Moon; a violet barrier sprang into existence before them as the bullets began to fly. They ricochetted off it and tore into the walls around her.

Justice blinked into existence right in their midst and went to work; Justiciar gleamed a brilliant white as it slashed through two of their guns.

"Venus Love Me Chain!" Venus disarmed the other two cops with a flick of her wrist.

Moon ducked out from behind Saturn, waving her arms frantically. "Stop this! We're not your enemy!"

The police didn't even seem to hear them; two of them went right after Justice and tried to pull him to the ground.

"Cut it out!" He landed a punch right in one of their faces…and it crumbled away to reveal a featureless black mass underneath. "What the hell?!"

"Constructs?!" yelled Tuxedo Kamen.

Justice seized the creature by the throat and lifted it into the air before slamming it to the floor. He spun and slammed the back of his forearm into the other cop's sternum, following up with a quick jab; its 'face' collapsed as well, revealing another Construct.

"Death Reborn Revolution!" Saturn's ribbons slithered out and removed the first Construct's head from its body.

"Crescent Beam!" Venus blew a hole in the other's head with her usual precision.

The two remaining 'police' began to shudder, their arms twitching and flailing at random. Moments later their uniforms and skin tore, falling away to reveal they too were Constructs.

Uranus stared at them in disbelief. "Can someone tell me why the Revenant Knight has Constructs disguised as cops?"

"Loyalty, maybe?" Justice suggested. "It guarantees he has police in place that will follow his orders no matter what."

"It's creepy no matter how you look at it," Moon muttered.

"Moon Spiral Heart Attack!"

Venus shrieked as a solid pink heart flew by her and collected one of the creatures, crushing it into dust. "A little close for comfort, don't you think, Chibi Moon?!"

The pink-haired girl blushed. "Sorry, Venus…my aim's still a little off."

"Well, you hit it," she replied encouragingly. "That's all that really matters, right?"

The final Construct suffered an abrupt end as Uranus picked it up and drove it head first into the floor, flattening its head and shoulders in an instant.

Justice winced in apparent sympathy. "Ouch."

The food court was quiet again after the sudden fracas. The Guardian Knight peered curiously at the back of Mamoru's head and moved in for a closer look. "What happened to you?"

"One of the Empty teed off on my head," he grumbled.

Chibi Moon completely failed at stifling her giggle. "It actually said _four_!"

Moon's attempt to conceal her own laughter was a little more successful. "We _did _tease him a little but Mercury should really take a look at his head." She broke off, interrupted by her communicator.

"Sailor Moon!" It was Mars. "We've found three Empty on the third level, near the bookstore. Get your butt over here!"

"We'll be there in a minute!" Moon immediately headed for the escalator. "Come on, guys, let's go!"

* * *

Mars ducked under another swipe from the Empty in front of her and planted a spinning kick in its face, knocking it on its back. Jupiter tossed another with a modified judo throw, sending it careening into the third. Pluto followed up with a sweep of her staff, knocking their legs out from under them.

"Now, Mercury!"

"Sabao Spray Freezing!" She unleashed a blast of bubbles and froze the Empty on the spot. Now the Senshi had room to breathe.

Jupiter examined the tattered remains of her front bow. "These things sure are persistent!"

Mars made note of her own torn skirt and nodded. "Tell me about it." She looked around quickly but saw no sign of Sailor Moon or the others. "Where the hell are they?"

Mercury's computer began beeping insistently. "Uh oh."

"Uh oh?" Jupiter asked.

"I just picked up a familiar energy signature...it's-"

A familiar, mocking laugh cut her off mid-sentence as it fluttered down from the ceiling. Mars looked up and found the source immediately. "Sailor Pride."

The narcissistic redhead smirked down at them from atop a support pillar, her scythe hanging almost casually from her hand. She was no longer the reanimated corpse they'd last seen on the moon; this was Sailor Pride as they'd first met her. Her cold, porcelain beauty was matched only by her sadistic nature.

"You actually showed up." The Sailor Marauder seemed genuinely surprised. "The people of this city fear and despise you but you came back anyway. I'm not sure if that's remarkable determination…or simple stupidity!"

Jupiter's eyes flashed angrily. "I'm in no mood for you today!" She cocked back her arm and hurled a crackling ball of lightning up at her. "Sparkling Wide Pressure!"

Pride blocked it on her scythe almost lazily. "Pathetic."

"What are you waiting for?" Mars demanded. "Get down here and we'll finish this!"

"I'm not interested in fighting you weaklings." Pride laughed again. "The only one of you even close to my level is your precious Princess; killing the rest of you wouldn't present any challenge at all." She shrugged. "No…I'm content to just sit back and enjoy the show."

Mercury's computer beeped a warning. "The Empty are beginning to thaw!"

Mars glanced at her nearest opponent and saw that, sure enough, its fingers were beginning to move. "Where the hell is Sailor Moon?!"

"I'm right here!" Sailor Moon bolted up an escalator followed by the rest of the team. She levelled her Tiare and called her attack. "Starlight Honeymoon Therapy Kiss!"

The familiar burst of pink light and feathers blasted out and surrounded the Empty before them. As it faded again Mars saw that two of the creatures had been returned to normal. But the third broke free of its icy restraints and lunged at Jupiter. _What? She healed two of them so why isn't the third changing back?_

Sailor Moon was clearly wondering the same thing. "What?! It worked on the last four!" She turned to Mercury. "Am I too low on energy?"

For once the blue-haired Senshi was speechless; she just shrugged helplessly as Jupiter dodged the Empty a second time.

Pride's mocking tone flitted down from above. "Don't you get it yet, Princess? These 'Empty' as you call them are merely the mindless husks left behind when Lord Revenant feeds! By 'healing' them you're simply returning their souls to their bodies." She sneered cruelly. "Obviously my master has already devoured this one."

"No…" Moon whispered.

"That's why you can't heal _her_," Pride said, laughing again. "There's nothing left to return to her body!"

_Just like Ryo warned us_, Mars thought bitterly. _We were too late to save this one._

Sailor Moon's despair and disgust came across clearly. "That's horrible! I…I don't believe you! There _has _to be a way to-"

"You're not listening, are you? You've failed, Princess! She's dead and there is _nothing_ you can do about it!"

Sailor Moon's reply was surprising to say the least. "Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss!" Her attack tore a hole through the mall's roof, showering them with glass, but there was no sign of Pride.

"Where is she?" Chibi Moon asked nervously. "What just happened?"

Justice drew his sword slowly. "Whatever she's planning, it won't be good."

"Not smart, Princess." The Marauder's disembodied voice seemed to be coming from everywhere at once. "Not smart at all. I thought you knew better than that after the last time!"

A dim violet glow surrounded them as hundreds of pieces of glass began to skitter along the ground, forming a circle as they picked up speed.

"Oh, hell!" Uranus cried. "Not this again!"

Pride reappeared in the middle of the glass storm. "I'm going to gut you, Princess, and gift your heart to Lord Revenant!"

Mars joined the others in backing up as the swirling glass tornado closed in around them.

"World Shaking!"

"Deep Submerge!"

"Jupiter Oak Evolution!"

"Venus Love and Beauty Shock!"

The Senshi's attacks did nothing to stem the tide of approaching glass. Pride laughed again as she raised her scythe. "There's nothing you can do, fools!"

"Wrong!" Justice blinked into existence above her and slashed down with his sword; she managed to evade him but her desperate dodge drove her right into the path of Sailor Moon's next attack.

"Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss!"

Amazingly, Pride actually blocked the attack, spinning her scythe furiously to form a rotating shield of her own. The impact knocked her into the churning mass of glass, though, and she was swallowed up in the violet wall of shards. They dropped to the floor seconds later, revealing the Marauder again; she was covered in blood and cuts.

Mars couldn't hold back her own smirk. "Defeated by your own arrogance. How sad for you!"

Pride's expression was one of uncontrollable rage. "You'll pay. You'll all pay! Enjoy your little victory, Senshi, because when Lord Revenant truly arrives you're all going to suffer terribly!" A swirling black portal opened beneath her and swallowed her up, leaving the Senshi in silence.

Chibi Moon finally broke it. "What should we do with…her?"

All eyes turned to the remaining Empty; Venus had lassoed it with her chain in the confusion and was keeping a tight hold on it as it lunged at them repeatedly.

Moon raised the Eternal Tiare again and aimed carefully to avoid hitting Venus. "Starlight Honeymoon Therapy Kiss!"

Mars thought Sailor Moon seemed noticeably weaker, which wasn't really surprising. _I guess she used too much energy in the last few minutes. She's running on fumes. _The pink light faded and it became clear that the Empty was unaffected.

"We're too late," Mercury said sadly, her computer sitting idle in her hands. "If what Pride said is true, then…"

"Then we cannot leave this creature here." Pluto's voice carried a calm strength. "It will only attempt to harm others."

"She's in pain," Saturn whispered. "Caught between life and death. The little of her that remains is in agony...I can _feel _it."

Mars closed her eyes. She didn't want to see it anymore. The Revenant Knight had taken this woman and stolen what made her unique…turning her into a shallow imitation of herself. A mockery. _She was innocent, _the miko thought. _She had nothing to do with any of this…but he killed her without remorse. He consumed her, used her life to prolong his own sick, twisted existence. _Her hand clenched into a trembling fist. _I can't forgive him for this. I _won't. _He's a plague on the galaxy and he has to be destroyed!_

Justice stepped forward, his voice quiet behind his helmet. "I'll finish it if you want. Make it quick."

Venus' voice was equally quiet. "Are you sure?"

He nodded mutely as he stared at the decaying, green-skinned creature.

"No." All eyes turned to Sailor Moon; she exhaled slowly and took a step forward. "Thank you, Corey, but this is my responsibility. As Sailor Moon…as future queen…I need to do this."

"Are you sure, Usagi?" Mars asked softly.

She nodded. "Let it go, Venus, and get clear."

The orange-clad Senshi returned her nod and released her chain; free of her grip it faded away into nothingness. The Empty took an awkward step forward and reached for her with its bony fingers as it staggered closer.

Moon stared back at it impassively as it approached.

"Usako?" Mamoru asked questioningly.

Mars took a step forward, ready to act. _If she hesitates and lets it get too close…_

"I'm sorry," Moon whispered. "I'm so sorry we couldn't save you." Her arm rose slowly, bringing her Tiare to bear, and she closed her eyes. "Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss." A brilliant blast of golden light washed over the Empty, destroying it instantly. The ponytailed blonde let her weapon fade and turned away, beginning a slow walk towards their makeshift exit.

_Damn them, _Mars thought. _Damn them all for making us do this!_

Tuxedo Kamen reached for Moon's shoulder. "Usako?"

Venus did the same, tentatively reaching out for her friend. "Usagi? Are you alright?"

She shook them both loose and kept walking, her eyes locked on the floor. "No. I'm not."

Mars let out a quiet sigh as she followed. She knew exactly how Usagi felt.

* * *

AN: So this is officially the longest I've gone between updates. Life has been CRAZY the last week and a half but I finally got this chapter finished. I snuck a little extra content in to make up for the wait, so I hope it was worth it. Lots of action this time around and a little bit of a gutpunch for the girls at the end. It fits well with one of the recurring themes of Last Guardian Knight; you can't save everyone.

I really hope this worked – it was cobbled together over several different writing sessions so hopefully the tone is consistent. Feel free to let me know what you think with a review or a PM. I look forward to reading your feedback and I hope to have the next chapter up for you all a little quicker. Cheers!


	25. Another Step Behind

Usagi sat alone in a quiet corner of the warehouse, lost in thought. She saw it every time she closed her eyes. That final Empty…the one they couldn't save. No matter what she tried she just couldn't rid herself of the image. _It stared right at_ _me_, she thought, _and there was nothing I could do to save it. __He won again. The Revenant Knight always finds a way to win._

"Are you alright?"

She looked up, startled, to find Rei standing over her. The miko had walked right up to her without Usagi noticing. "I really wish everyone would stop asking me that."

"Maybe so," Rei said lightly, "but that's not an answer, Odango."

Hearing her old nickname brought a faint smile to Usagi's lips. "Alright, alright. I'm feeling…lousy. How's that?"

"It's understandable." Rei's eyes locked on hers. "Want to talk about it?"

"Not really, no."

"Oh, then this is gonna suck for you!" The miko eased herself down beside her. "Because I'm not going anywhere until you do."

Usagi shook her head. "You are so annoying."

"Not nearly as annoying as you," Rei retorted, sticking out her tongue. "Now, come on...it'll help to get it off your chest."

She exhaled slowly. "I guess so."

Rei studied her carefully for several silent seconds. "You know it wasn't your fault, right?"

"Of course it wasn't my fault," Usagi muttered irritably. "Do you really think that's what this is about?"

Rei rolled her violet eyes. "Alright. What _is _it about, then?"

Usagi considered the question carefully. Why _was _she so upset? She didn't enjoy killing, but she knew it was sometimes necessary. It hadn't been so long since she'd been forced to destroy Sailor Despair, after all. No, this was different. It wasn't killing the Empty that had made her so angry; it was being forced into that position to begin with.

"Still with me?" Rei asked.

"I'm tired, Rei." The sudden bitterness in her voice surprised even her. "I'm tired of constantly coming in second best. I'm tired of always feeling like I'm one step behind. I'm just so tired of losing to that…"

"Bastard?"

"Yeah." Usagi shrugged; it was as good a word as any to describe their enemy.

"I hear you." Rei leaned back against the wall beside her and sighed. "We've won two rounds against the Revenant Knight now but it doesn't really feel like it, does it?"

"Not at all."

"I mean, we managed to beat Terror...but he's back now," Rei said. "Wrath, Ruin _and_ the Marauders finally went down in the end…but you and I both now how close we came to losing that battle."

Usagi nodded silently. _Pride had us_ _cornered...and Crimson was literally seconds away from finishing off Ami and Minako. _That was a horrifying thought. _If not for Fury's little breakdown we might be two or three Senshi short right now._

"Still," Rei murmured, "I'm not worried. Do you want to know why?"

"Why?"

"Because I _know _we're going to win."

"How can you be so sure?" Usagi asked quietly.

"Because we have you on our side." Rei squeezed her shoulder gently. "You never give up, Usagi, even in the face of impossible odds. You're the ultimate optimist...and that's infectious. I feel like I can take on anything with you by my side and I know the others feel exactly the same way."

Usagi couldn't hold back her own smile. "Thanks, Rei. That actually helps a lot."

"Of course it helped, Odango." Rei's stern voice stood in stark contrast to her teasing smirk. "I wouldn't waste my time if I thought otherwise."

"Fair point," she agreed.

"Now, if you're all done moping, a few of us are heading into the city and I think you should come along." Rei stood and stretched carefully, stifling a sudden yawn. "Minako actually had a _good _idea for a change and suggested a nice little teahouse a few blocks away. Are you in?"

"Sure," Usagi agreed. "Sounds good." She spotted Titus out of the corner of her eye; he seemed to be waiting for her to finish. "I'll be over in a minute, okay?"

Rei winked as she backed away. "Okay…just don't dawdle _too _long."

The cat inclined his head slightly and, once again, she _almost _mistook him for Luna. Getting used to his new-old look was going to take a little more time. "Do you have a moment, Usagi?"

"Usagi? You've decided to stop calling me Princess?"

Titus' hesitated just long enough for her to notice. "Old habits _do _die hard, I admit, but since this is a relatively informal conversation I thought your actual name was appropriate."

She rolled her eyes. "Have you ever just answered a question with a simple yes or no?" His blank stare was all the answer she needed. "Silly question, I know. What's up?"

"I thought you might like an update on the…_matter _you asked me to look into?"

"Crap, I completely forgot I asked you to do that!" Usagi leaned forward subconsciously, unable to hide her nerves. "Were you able to find them?"

Titus actually smiled. "I was...and your family is safe. They're staying in Tadakoa with your grandparents. I can't guarantee their situation won't change, of course, but I saw no signs of danger."

Relief began to spread throughout her body. "Thanks for checking on them, Titus. I really appreciate it. You have no idea how much that helps my mood!"

"It was no trouble at all. Enjoy yourself at the teahouse…Princess."

Usagi suppressed a shudder as he slunk back into the shadows - his little farewell was downright sinister! She considered mentioning it to Corey but ultimately decided against it. Titus had always been somewhat off in his interactions...and he _had _proven himself by this point. No, it was probably just her tired, distracted mind reading too much into things. _Besides, _she thought, _it's t__ime for tea!_

* * *

"You disappoint me, Pride…"

The Sailor Marauder swallowed nervously under her master's withering stare. His voice was unfamiliar – much like his current appearance – but it carried the same deep gravitas she was used to. Japan knew him as Prime Minister Noboru Hayashida but she called him master - or Lord Revenant - and she knew better than to interrupt. It wasn't good for one's health to speak unless he wished it.

He continued to glare at her over tented fingers, somehow managing to look even more intimidating as a middle-aged politician. "I rewarded your loyalty by restoring your body…and you repaid my kindness with failure."

She began to panic. "Lord Revenant, I-"

"I do not want you to speak!" His fingers clenched into a fist. "I want you to _listen_."

Searing pain exploded in her chest as one of her ribs snapped. Pride shrieked as it began to move, digging into her flesh as it tried to escape her skin once more. "Please-"

"You belong to me, Pride. I created you...and I can just as easily destroy you. Never forget that!"

She fell to one knee. The pain was excruciating! "Of course, Lord Revenant. I promise you…I won't let it happen again!"

"No." He lowered his hand slowly. "I do not expect you will."

Pride fought to regain her breath; she winced painfully as her rib snapped back into place with an audible crack. _Oh, how I hate you, my master. Nobody else has ever managed to make me feel as weak and helpless as you!_

Hayashida rose to his feet and stepped around his desk; it seemed they were done. "Terror."

The Shadow-Knight appeared in the office in his customary swirl of ash and smoke. "Master."

"Are the Constructs ready?"

Terror bowed deeply. "Yes, Lord Revenant."

"Good." Hayashida turned to the window and stared out at the Tokyo skyline. "Bring Sailor Saturn to me. _Alive_. Do what you will with the rest of the Senshi…not that I expect you'll actually manage to kill any of them."

Pride watched with some satisfaction as the Shadow-Knight stiffened. _Poor Terror. That touched a nerve, did it?_

"At once…" He collapsed into a cloud of smoke and rolled across the floor to the window, flying out into the afternoon sky.

Her master didn't even look at her again. "Go, Pride. Do _not _fail me again."

The redhead bowed and made a hasty retreat; she'd had quite enough of his anger for one day.

* * *

Minako took a sip from her steaming cup and sighed contentedly. "Mmm...great tea."

"It really is," Rei agreed. "Good call, Minako."

Artemis sat in her lap, purring happily as she stroked his fur. They were seated at a table in a quiet corner of the teahouse so as not to attract too much attention. Between her and Rei they'd convinced Ami, Usagi, Mamoru and Chibiusa to accompany them. _Not too bad of a turn out at all, _she thought proudly. _Of course, i__t would be nice if Corey was here too, but he was too busy brooding to tag along. Not that he'd ever admit it. And it's not like I can be too mad, because I understand exactly how he feels_. _There's no sugar-coating the fact that we__ failed that woman today._

Usagi let out an annoyed screech as Chibiusa took a sip from her cup. "Hey, that's mine!"

"Don't be so greedy," the girl retorted. "I just wanted to see if your tea tasted the same as mine!"

"Of course it does! It's the same tea!"

"Usako…Chibiusa…" Mamoru's tired pleas were lost on the bickering duo.

Minako just shook her head and smiled. Chibiusa was trying to cheer Usagi up and get her back to her normal self, but Minako wasn't sure it was going to be quite so easy. Usagi was angry; much angrier than Minako had seen her in a long time. _This whole situation is changing her_, she thought sadly, _and I'm not so sure it's for the better. _

"In other news, Prime Minister Hayashida today addressed concerns regarding the recent attacks by what some are calling living corpses…"

Minako perked up and craned her neck to stare at the television beside them. "What's Jerkface up to now?"

She could almost see the Revenant Knight behind Hayashida's eyes if she looked hard enough. "I urge everyone to stay calm and go about their everyday lives. Tokyo's police are hard at work containing any reported outbreaks, and Japan's finest scientific minds are already working on a cure for this unknown affliction." His lips curved up in a smile that sent shivers down Minako's spine. "Rest assured…we _will _persevere."

Usagi slammed her fist down on the table, startling her. "He comforts everyone with one hand, then murders them with the other!"

Rei's response was a little more abrupt. "Smug bastard!"

"Easy, you two," Mamoru said softly. "Don't let yourselves get worked up. We're trying to keep a low profile, remember?"

Luna kept her own voice low. "That's right. Just stay calm."

Minako shrugged as the news cut to commercial…and frowned as a familiar piece of music began to play. But where had she heard it before? _It's not that idol track I was listening to the other night...and it's not something I've been practicing. Or is it? _Her eyes widened in fear as she finally placed it. _Oh, god…that's my tampon jingle! They said it was only for radio! Why the heck is it playing on TV?! _

"Hmm?" Artemis' ears pricked up. "Minako, isn't that your-"

She clamped her hand over his mouth and laughed nervously. "Oh, silly Arty! I'm sure it's not!"

"What are you doing to Artemis now?" Rei asked.

"Hmm? Oh, nothing." Minako knew that the illusion of innocence was key. That…and misdirection. "Great tea, huh?"

"We covered that already, you ditz!" Rei's eyes turned slowly to the television. "I'm sure I've heard that voice before…"

"Oh, you, uh…you must have seen this commercial before, right?" Panic was beginning to set in. _I'll never live it down if they find out about that jingle! I have to change the subject! _"So, Divine Judicial Ordination, huh? Isn't that crazy? Do we even know for sure what it does yet?"

Artemis wriggled free of her grasp. "Mina, you're smothering me!"

"No, I'm not-"

"I've got it!" Rei leapt to her feet and pointed across the table at her. "It's _you_!"

"What's Minako?" Usagi asked, confused.

"She's singing that commercial!"

"What?!"

Everyone turned to the screen at once as Minako buried her head in her hands. _The wig is up! Hold on a sec...that's not right. Is it?_

"That's what you didn't want to tell me about?" Artemis demanded. "Minako, that's-"

"Oh, quiet, you!" She gave in to the crazy and smooshed his face. Just a little. It actually helped with her nerves.

"Mmff!"

Luna sighed as she looked up at Usagi. "Have I ever told you how glad I am that I ended up with you and not Minako?"

"Hey!" Minako screeched. "Just what is that supposed to mean, Luna?!"

The cat recoiled. "Nothing! Nothing at all!"

"I'll have you know Sailor V was and still is _amazing_!"

Ami seemed uncomfortable. "To be fair, Minako, you _have_ shown an occasional lack of maturity when it comes to your powers."

"What?" Minako said, frowning. "I'm _very _responsible with my powers…most of the time."

"You?" Rei snorted as she laughed.

"I am!" she protested.

"Oh, really?" Usagi asked, leaning across the table. "So explain the time I found you lassoing stray cats with your Love Me Chain?"

"_Someone _got himself into trouble and I had to come to his rescue." Minako scowled and tapped Artemis on the head. "Go on, you. Tell them!"

"I _may _have gotten in over my head on that particular occasion," he admitted.

"Alright," Ami said, frowning suspiciously, "but what about the day I spotted you knocking apples out of that tree with your Crescent Beam?"

"Easy!" Minako declared. "That was precision target practice!"

Usagi stared at her in disbelief. "Target practice."

"Yes! What, you think I got to be this amazing overnight? It's a lot of hard work, Usagi!" Minako felt pretty good so far; despite her friends' attempts to trip her up she thought she'd defended herself quite well. That confidence began to falter, however, when she spotted Rei's smug grin.

"That's all well and good, Minako, but let's see you explain the night I caught you using your Love Me Chain as a jump rope!"

"I…er…well, you see…that is…um…" A nervous laugh slipped out as Minako blushed. "I guess I was just a little bored?"

Artemis groaned and banged his head into the table.

Even Mamoru seemed amazed by her response. He slumped in his chair and stared into his cup.

"Never mind all that," Rei retorted. "No more changing the subject! That was you singing, Minako. About tampons!"

Usagi burst out laughing, which seemed to set Ami off too.

Chibiusa was a little lost, thankfully. "I don't get it. Why is everyone laughing?"

"Oh, no!" Mamoru shook his head quickly. "I'm not going near that one!"

"It...it was a paid job!" Minako sputtered. "_And_ a valuable experience!"

Rei finally erupted in hysterical laughter herself. "It sure sounds like an experience, alright!"

"It's definitely a daring career choice, Minako" Ami agreed; her predatory smirk was quite uncharacteristic. "Though it doesn't seem very _sanitary..._"

Minako just glared at her as the other two laughed. "Even you, Ami?"

"Oh, cheer up, Minako!" Usagi wrapped an arm around her shoulders and smiled brilliantly. "I'm so proud of you! You're still working hard at pursuing your dream after all this time, and this is a huge step forward for you!"

What was she missing? "Um...thank you, Usagi."

Her smile turned sinister in a heartbeat. "Sure thing."

Minako sighed. "You're still going to tease me, aren't you?"

"Of course, silly! I just wanted to make sure you knew how proud I was first!"

She slumped in her chair. "Go ahead."

Usagi coughed into her hand and grinned. "You really _inserted_ a little _hygiene_ into that jingle!"

Minako's head hit the table with an audible thump. "That was awful, Usagi. Just _awful_!"

Rei frowned. "It really was!"

"Oh, shut it, Pyro," Usagi muttered. "I thought it was funny..."

Artemis brushed against Minako's arm and smiled up at her. "Don't listen to them, Mina. It's a foot in the door-"

Rei burst out laughing all over again. "It's something in something, alright!"

"Oh, god…" That one was so bad it almost hurt! Minako reached back into her subspace pocket, searching for the pick-me-up she desperately needed. _It's finally time. I knew I kept these in here for a reason...and today's the day._ She produced a small, colourful packet and tore it open.

Chibiusa stared at her across the table. "You keep _Skittles_ in your subspace pocket?"

Minako poured a handful of the little candies into her mouth and nodded glumly. "Uh-huh."

She felt Artemis' fur bristling under her fingers. "Minako, I-"

She swatted him on the nose, cutting him off before he could begin. "Don't even start! I've told you before it's _my _space pocket and-"

"Subspace pocket," Ami said, correcting her quietly.

Minako shrieked wordlessly in frustration and began banging her head into the table again. "I hate you all so much sometimes…"

* * *

Corey had found Makoto alone in a quiet corner of the warehouse, but his next step was proving a little more difficult. He knew he needed to talk to her - clear the air, so to speak – but he had no idea where to begin. For one, he was concerned that he was actually in the wrong here. He'd experienced something of an epiphany after addressing Hotaru's crush - the notion that he may have led her on, however unintentionally. She could have seen his efforts to befriend her as something else entirely…and now Corey was worried he might have done the same thing with Makoto. He'd never really had any girls as friends before, after all - it could happen, as far as he knew.

_Still_, he told himself, _standing here like an idiot isn't helping anyone either. _He forced himself to take a step forward and cleared his throat. "Hey."

"Hi." Makoto didn't break from her routine. In fact, she didn't even look at him.

"Tai Chi?" he asked, thrusting his hands into his pockets. He'd never had much of an eye for the Asian martial arts - Dawkins had him take up boxing to complement his training with the sword instead.

"Yeah. It helps me relax and regain my focus."

"Cool." Thirty seconds in and this was already his most awkward conversation in some time; now that was an accomplishment! He wasn't sure what to say next...or what had even made him come over here in the first place, for that matter. He just knew he couldn't leave things the way they were...even if it was only for his sake.

Makoto beat him to the punch. "So...Minako told you how I feel."

"Uh, no. She wouldn't talk to me about it at all, actually."

"Oh." She sounded almost relieved.

"The truth is…Rei and Usagi clued me in back at the diner after Minako dragged you into the bathroom."

"Damn," she muttered. "Was I the only one who didn't know what I was doing?"

"I dunno," Corey said, with a shrug. "If it helps, I'd probably _still_ be in the dark if not for them."

The brunette laughed quietly. "There is that, I guess." She paused awkwardly before continuing her exercises. "Look, I'm sorry if I got you into any trouble with Minako. I know she can be a little…"

"Hyper?" he suggested. "Obsessive? Crazy?" He didn't feel bad for saying any of it because Minako really _was_ all of those things…and he loved her for it.

Makoto's smile faltered just a little. "Yeah."

"Don't worry about that. You were the only target of her little, uh…meltdown."

"Great."

That kicked off another awkward silence, but he had to get his concerns off his chest. "I hope I didn't…I mean, if I made you think…"

"You didn't," she said softly. "At least I don't think you did. And, since we're hoping right now? I hope we can still be friends." Her gaze fell to the floor. "I didn't realise what I was doing at first - or the depth of my feelings. But now that I do? I'll be sure to keep a tighter grip on them."

He replied with a quiet nod. What more could he say?

She finally managed to look him in the eyes. "With that said...I understand if you'd rather take a step back for a while."

Corey shook his head emphatically. "Hell, no. I've got precious few friends as it is - I can't afford to lose any of you." He made sure to consider his next words carefully. "As long as we both know where we stand...I've got no issue being your friend, Mako. None at all."

"I'm glad." She broke eye contact again and turned away. "I, uh...I guess I'll talk to you later, then."

He wasn't so clueless that he didn't realise he was being dismissed. "Sure, Makoto. Later." He reflected on their conversation as he walked away. It had been an awkward little talk, to be sure...but with any luck they were past the worst of it now. He frowned as his stomach lurched uncomfortably. _Maybe I should have gone with Minako and the others after all._ _A little tea would be great for this nausea__. _His eyes widened a moment later as his brain caught up with the rest of him. _The same feeling as before, when Terror attacked my apartment! _He summoned Justiciar and cupped his hand around his mouth. "Get ready to fight! We're about to have company!"

Haruka poked her head out of the so-called 'dormitory' and frowned. "What the hell are you shouting about now, McLeod?!"

He snapped his mouth shut and dove aside as the ceiling suddenly exploded above him, showering him with debris and purple flame. A swarm of Constructs began dropping to the floor around him…followed by Terror and Pride.

"Greetings, brother! How wonderful it is to see you again!"

* * *

Usagi giggled yet again as Rei made another pun at Minako's expense - they really were getting a lot of mileage out of her jingle. She did feel a _little_ bad about all their teasing, but she was only indulging because she knew her friend could take it.

"Ha, ha, ha." That hadn't prevented Minako from falling into full-blown grumpy mode. "Enjoy yourself now, girls, because I'll have the last laugh when I'm a famous celebrity!"

Usagi frowned as her communicator began to beep. No, scratch that - they were _all _beeping! Her brow furrowed, showing her concern as Ami flipped her device open.

"It's the emergency alert…and it's coming from the warehouse!"

"Let's go!" The blonde broke into a run immediately – the emergency alert always meant trouble. They hurried down the street and around the final corner before the docks.

"Oh, gods!"

Usagi was forced to agree with Rei's assessment; a thick column of black smoke rose into the sky, centered right over the warehouse. "Everyone transform, quick!"

She found herself in a state of shock as they rushed towards their temporary base. _It's just like I said to Rei. No matter what happens, it always feels like we're one step behind; reacting instead of acting._ Worry began to gnaw away at her stomach. _Please, let everyone be okay! _

Moon cleared the fence ahead of her effortlessly – one benefit of being a Sailor Senshi, civilian form or not – and made a beeline for the burning building. Flames tore across the roof and Constructs swarmed around the main entrance, surrounding a familiar man in silver armour.

"Corey!" Venus dashed forward as the Guardian Knight was swallowed by a sea of black and pulled to the ground. "Crescent Beam!"

The bolt of light lanced out from her fingertip, blowing a hole through one shadowy head before continuing on to take down a second. Moon just shook her head in a mix of disbelief and envy. _Minako's always been able to make impossible shots like that look easy. I guess shooting apples off trees isn't such a crazy training method after all!_

"Venus Love Me Chain!" The blonde Senshi swung her chain around her like a whip, tearing through featureless black bodies with ease. Free of the Constructs' clutches, Justice rolled back to his feet – an act Moon found quite impressive given his armour – and tackled another as it lunged for his girlfriend. He drove it into the ground head first and crushed it flat.

"Mars Flame Sniper!"

"Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!"

Mars and Mercury unloaded on the remaining Constructs, taking down another three in no time. Moon seized the opportunity to head into the warehouse to survey the scene. Sailor Saturn was engaged in a furious fight with Pride, her Silence Glaive clashing against the redhead's scythe. Uranus was on the floor, lying in a small but growing pool of blood with Neptune and Pluto standing guard over her.

"Dead Scream!" The Guardian of Time fired a violet orb of destruction into a cluster of Constructs, scattering the creatures everywhere.

"Sailor Moon!" Neptune cried. "Look out behind you!"

She turned and froze; a roiling cloud of ash and smoke sped along the floor, expanding rapidly as Terror lunged for her with his halberd. Moon suddenly found herself shoved aside. She hit the floor hard and looked up to see Tuxedo Kamen holding Terror at bay with his cane.

The Shadow-Knight's empty helmet turned towards her. "You weren't invited to this little party, Princess."

She raised her Tiare in response. "Silver Moon Crystal-"

He collapsed into smoke again before she could finish and streamed across the floor, right towards Saturn. She saw him coming and span away from Pride with her Glaive raised.

"Death Reborn Revolution!" A dozen razor-sharp ribbons lashed out towards him...and passed through his smoky form harmlessly.

Pride took full advantage of Terror's distraction and raised her hand at Saturn's unprotected back. "Deadly Vanity Reflection!"

Saturn cried out in pain as countless glass shards tore through her uniform and into her skin. It was a pain Moon knew all too well from her own dealings with the Sailor Marauder.

"Saturn!" Pluto broke away from Uranus and dashed towards the younger girl. Terror had other ideas, though; a mass of Constructs appeared in her path, led by the Shadow-Knight himself.

"The much-vaunted Guardian of Time, Sailor Pluto! I've been looking forward to this!"

Pluto clearly wasn't fooling around. "Chronos Typhoon!"

Terror drifted over her attack and hurled his own in return; Pluto dodged left with surprising quickness, narrowly avoiding the ball of purple flame.

"Hold on, Pluto!" Moon called. "Starlight Honeymoon Therapy Kiss!" She obliterated several of the Constructs in her path and rushed towards them. _Just a little further!_

"Your speed is impressive," Terror admitted. "But let's see you dodge _this_!" He gestured and Pluto was suddenly surrounded by Constructs. They dove on her, holding her in place as he laughed. "It looks like your time has run out, Senshi!" He hurled his halberd forward like a javelin, the gleaming point heading right for Pluto's heart.

"Pluto!" Moon screamed.

Two of the Constructs holding Pluto burst into flames and the rest scattered as Justice tossed more fireballs at them. Pluto tore free of their grip and dropped to the floor; the halberd nicked her shoulder as it flew overhead and lodged in the concrete behind her.

"Just die, damn you!" Terror thrust his hands forward and unleashed a virtual storm of purple flame, leaving Pluto with nowhere to go. She cried out in pain as his attack washed over her, twitching as she crumpled to the floor.

He didn't have any time to enjoy his victory; Sailor Moon was finally in range. "Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss!"

Terror actually managed to avoid her attack…somewhat. The blast of light clipped his shoulder and tore his arm off...but Moon didn't have time to gloat. She spotted Pride; the Marauder was dragging a limp Saturn towards a portal.

"Hotaru!" Moon only managed to take one step forward before she was hit from behind with another blast from a resurgent Terror. The loss of his arm didn't seem bother him in the slightest.

"Don't you understand yet?" he crowed, summoning another ball of purple flame. "I have no body for you to destroy!"

Justice blinked into existence behind him. "Let's try this instead!" He grabbed hold of Terror's pauldron tight. "Judicial Flames!"

Terror screamed as he ignited, suddenly wrapped in flames. He managed to blast the Guardian Knight at point-blank range with another fireball and whirled into the air in a swirling black vortex, disappearing through the hole in the ceiling.

"Jupiter Oak Evolution!" Jupiter put down two more Constructs that were closing in on Moon.

The blonde pointed frantically at Pride. "Get to Saturn!"

"Too late, Senshi!" Pride tossed Saturn's unconscious form through the portal and smirked coldly back at Moon. "You lose again, Princess!" She threw her a mocking little wave and followed Hotaru through.

"Hotaru!" Justice dove for the portal but hit the floor behind it as it vanished before their eyes.

"Deep Submerge!"

"Venus Love Me Chain!"

"Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!"

The last few remaining Constructs fell quickly at the hands of the Senshi, and the warehouse grew quiet. Moon was helped to her feet by Jupiter. _How could this happen?!_

"I need help over here!" Neptune's frantic cry echoed across the concrete floor as she pressed her hands to Uranus' stomach. "I can't stop the bleeding!"

"Mamo-chan!" Moon cried.

"I'm on it!" He rushed over, followed closely by Mercury.

A furious Mars stomped over and paused to glare up at the hole in the roof. "What the hell happened?"

Jupiter looked over at Uranus, clearly distraught. "They showed up out of nowhere. Justice tried to get us organised…but the Constructs kept us separated and off-balance."

The Guardian Knight remained quiet, unreadable behind his helmet.

Pluto limped over; her uniform was black with soot. "It was definitely a targeted attack. They were after Saturn from the beginning."

Moon stared up at the ceiling herself. "But how did they know where to find us?"

Her answer came from a very unexpected source. "That is simple, Princess Serenity. My newest servant gave me the location."

Her blood ran ice cold as she turned to find him leaning rather casually against a support pillar; Noboru Hayashida, otherwise known as the Revenant Knight.

"Mars Flame Sniper!"

"Venus Love and Beauty Shock!"

He sighed as he slapped their attacks aside with apparent ease. "My, my. Such hostility for your Prime Minister."

"You're _not _really the Prime Minister!" Mars snapped.

"I would argue your point, Sailor Mars...but I suspect it would be a wasted effort." He sighed dramatically. "Very well, then. Have it your way." Smoke poured out of his nose and ears to form a thick, black cloak around his body. It shifted and stretched, forming a horned helmet and armour, taking on the form they were most familiar with. "Is this more to your liking?"

"How did you _really _know where we were?" Jupiter demanded, repeating Moon's earlier question. "What servant?"

"Are you sure you really want to know?" he asked in a mocking tone. "The answer may hurt you."

Mars looked like she might actually try to throttle him. "Talk!"

"As you wish." He raised his hand and crooked his finger in a beckoning motion."

Titus stepped forward out of the shadows and bowed his head. "It is an honour to serve, Lord Revenant."

"What?!" Moon couldn't believe her eyes. "Titus?!"

Even Uranus, as pale as she looked, managed a furious glare from her place on the floor. "You two-faced, slimy piece of sh-"

"Why?" Mercury asked quietly. "Why would you-"

She was interrupted by Justice's quiet laughter; it echoed across the warehouse as the Guardian Knight removed his helmet and locked eyes with the Revenant Knight. "Nice try, asshole…but there's no way in hell Titus would _ever _side with you."

Venus wasn't so certain. "How can you be sure?"

"Because I know him, Venus. Sure, Titus tried to play us against each other early on, but that was motivated by his need for me to reach my potential. He always was a pragmatic little son of a bitch…but siding with the Revenant Knight?" Corey shook his head adamantly. "No way. Titus has been preparing for his arrival for over a thousand years already. There's no way he'd turn his back on all of that."

"Pity," the Revenant Knight said. "It was worth a try." He snapped his fingers and the cat's fur appeared to crack, crumbling away to reveal a featureless black shape beneath before collapsing into dust a few seconds later.

"Titus is..._was_ a Construct?" Chibi Moon asked, confused.

"Fascinating," Mercury murmured, her eyes locked on her computer.

Their adversary chuckled. "Your little spy never returned to this warehouse."

Corey's face remained impassive. "What have you done with him?"

"Have no fear. He lives…for now." His ruby eyes flashed cruelly. "I could not persuade him to talk, however...so I had to tear the knowledge I sought from his mind." His clawed fingers flexed slowly. "I'm sure you remember how that feels..._Corey_."

Sailor Moon stepped forward beside Justice and raised her Tiare. "Return Hotaru and Titus now, or-"

"Come now, Princess, let us not resort to idle threats. We both know you are in no position to make them." He chuckled again. "They are mine now. My playthings. My…_sustenance_."

Her stomach lurched at the very idea of him feeding on her friends.

"I will not insult your resolve by asking you for the Silver Crystal; I know you would never surrender it willingly." The Revenant Knight stepped backwards, his eyes flashing again. "Instead, I leave you with an invitation. If you wish to get your friends back...you know where to find me." He vanished in a swirl of smoke and ash...leaving them in silence once more.

Sailor Moon stared blankly at the space he'd just occupied, feeling her fists clench tightly in anger. _He wants me to fold. He wants me to get scared, and give up. But that's not who I am anymore. _Determination began spreading throughout her body, as if it coursed through her very veins. _I refuse to let him win again. We are going to rescue Hotaru and Titus, and punish the Revenant Knight once and for all. No more waiting. No more reacting._

She looked up into Corey's emerald eyes and set her jaw in determination. "We're going to get them back, Corey. And then? We're going to destroy the Revenant Knight!"

* * *

AN: A big rewrite this time around; maybe a third of my rough draft made it into the finished product. That's a big reason for the delay, I'm sorry to say, but I think the chapter turned out much stronger for it. I couldn't resist tossing in that red herring about Titus, either, even though it didn't last very long. As soon as I wrote it I _knew _Corey would never believe it was true...hence the quick destruction of the 'Titus Construct'. The Revenant Knight is in danger of becoming a Bond villain, I know...but my reasoning there is he's a very smart death cloud and he likes to fight on his terms whenever possible...hence his little taunt at the end.

More to come soon. This chapter really started to come together over a couple of days so I'm hoping that marks the end of the mild case of writer's block I've been dealing with. It probably helps that real life is finally settling down a little too! Next chapter - into the PM's office. Thanks for reading as always, everyone.


	26. Pride Cometh Before A Fall

Sailor Moon stared down at the Prime Minister's Residence, counting the number of guards in sight. So far, she'd spotted eight…no, make that nine. She breathed out slowly, forcing all of her fear and doubt out alongside it. According to their plan she'd be inside in just a few short minutes…and face to face with the Revenant Knight. But Hotaru and Titus were in there somewhere - she needed to be strong if she was going to save them.

Corey leaned in close beside her. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," she replied, trying to sound confident. "You?"

"Oh, yeah. Great."

Moon picked up on his false bravado and smiled faintly. "We've got this, right?"

"Absolutely." Corey flashed her a tight grin. "What could possibly go wrong?"

_What, indeed, _Moon wondered. _Aside from being killed. _She turned away, back towards the rest of her friends. Everyone seemed ready; there was little reason to delay things any further.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Mars asked.

She laughed quietly. "I never said I _want _to do this at all! If anyone else has a better plan then by all means, let's hear it!" The blank stares she received in reply were about what she expected. "I thought so."

"Sorry," Venus said, with a shrug. "I'm still tapped out after my last big plan."

"That's fine," Mars retorted. "Nobody wants another one of your mental little schemes anyway!"

The blonde frowned as she hugged her own elbows. "It got us to Corey, didn't it?!" She dropped her voice to a whisper. "I guess I wasn't crazy about breaking my back though-"

"Oh, you were crazy alright. You still are!"

Venus' glared at her angrily. "I'm not even going to dignify that with a response!"

Mars stared at her incredulously. "You just did!"

"Enough!" They both flinched as Pluto's staff slammed into the ground. "We have far more important matters to worry about than your petty bickering!"

Venus glanced over at Mars. "Sorry, Rei."

"Me too, Minako."

Moon reached out to nudge Chibi Moon; she seemed troubled. "It's going to be okay, Chibiusa. We'll get Hotaru back. Titus, too."

"I know…" The younger girl nodded, her face displaying some of that same fiery determination Sailor Moon felt. "I just don't want you to get hurt."

"Hey, I've got Corey with me. He'll keep me safe." She forced a smile. "Besides, there's always a chance the Revenant Knight will actually leave without a fight."

Jupiter snorted. "I doubt it."

"She was _trying _to be reassuring," Mercury hissed, nudging the brunette gently.

With that settled, Moon turned to Corey and let out one last sigh. "I suppose we should get in there and do this, huh?"

He nodded wordlessly and held out his arm. She stepped forward and pressed against his side with a little trepidation. "I've told you how much I hate this part, right?"

Venus patted her on the shoulder. "You and me both, Usagi. Just close your eyes and hold your breath. I find that helps a lot."

"Here goes," Corey said softly. "Three, two, one…"

There was a brief sensation of falling followed by the familiar wave of nausea that signaled their arrival.

"Well, well, well…"

Her eyes opened slowly as she fought the urge to vomit, and she found herself staring right at Prime Minister Noboru Hayashida - the Revenant Knight. He was seated behind a large, ornate desk; they'd appeared right in the middle of his office as planned.

His lips curled up in a cold smile as he rose slowly to his feet. "This is quite a surprise, Princess. I did not expect such a bold move on your part."

Sailor Moon stayed silent as she stepped away from Corey, careful to remain inside the radius of his shield as agreed. The evil creature's taunts may mean nothing to her but he was still a very dangerous opponent.

"Have you finally come to your senses?" Hayashida asked. "You can spare your friends a long, painful death by surrendering the Silver Crystal to me now."

"That's a lie," she replied calmly. "I know exactly what you plan to do with the crystal's power…and I have no wish to help you kill everything in the galaxy."

"That is a shame." He sounded almost bored by their conversation. "You wish to continue your pointless struggle, then?"

"Not particularly." Moon folded her arms across her chest and stared right into his eyes. "I'm here to issue an ultimatum."

"An ultimatum? How amusing. Do tell..."

She was somewhat amazed at how calm she was right now. _I've come a long way since those days of crying in jewellery stores. _ "Return our friends unharmed and leave this world in peace."

Hayashida's eyes flashed red. "Or?"

Moon returned his glare with one of her own. "Or be destroyed."

He laughed; it was a cruel, mocking sound that echoed about the office around them, clearly meant to strike fear into their hearts. "My, that is quite a threat." Thick, ash-filled smoke streamed from his body, surrounding him like a cloak. "You must forgive my lack of apprehension, but that is a threat I do not believe you can carry out."

His smug response was infuriating. "We are more than capable of-"

"Your friend _Hotaru _is quite the morsel." The smoke around him had taken on the Revenant Knight's familiar shape now; Hayashida's body was barely visible beneath it. "I fed on her, Princess. Does that displease you? Does it make you…angry?"

She knew exactly what he was trying to do but that didn't make it any easier to ignore. "You sicken me."

"Yes…" The ash-knight's ruby eyes flashed with power. "I can feel the rage growing inside you. Such power…" His clawed fingers flexed slowly. "Perhaps I'll feast on you next?"

Corey moved between them and drew his sword. "That's not gonna happen."

The smoke creature's eyes locked on him. "The Guardian Knight. Your sweet, little friend Hotaru holds such tender feelings towards you...and yet you destroyed her! Such sorrow she feels. Such despair..." He let out a low chuckle. "It was _delicious_!"

Moon felt her hand clenching into a fist. "Easy, Corey. He's just trying to make you angry. He feeds on it, remember?"

"Yeah." He took a step back, albeit reluctantly. "I remember."

"Do you feel nothing for your friend? I tore open her mind and stole her deepest, darkest secrets! I gorged myself on her power and took every last shred of dignity she had left! Get angry! Let me taste it!"

It _did _make her angry; that was why she remained silent. Maybe he was using his power to influence her emotions, or maybe he was just pressing all the right buttons. Either way, she was going to follow her own advice and keep calm.

"Just a touch of her power…a _sliver_…was enough to increase the body's speed." He spread his arms wide as he looked through the window and up at the sky. "Soon, I shall descend on this pitiful little world and it shall burn…along with you and your friends!"

"No."

"No?" he repeated curiously. "What do you mean, _no_?"

"I mean no. I won't allow that to happen." She took a step forward and stared him down determinedly. "I'm tired of letting you set the pace. I'm tired of being a victim in all this. It ends now! We're going to rescue our friends, we're going to expose you as the monster you really are...and we're going to destroy you!" Her arm rose, lifting her communicator to her lips. "Ready when you are, girls."

Venus' voice came through loud and clear. "Alright! Jerkface is going down!" The building shook around them with a distant explosion; the Senshi had begun their attack.

"Foolish little girl!" The Revenant Knight didn't sound so amused anymore. "I will enjoy watching you die." He glared up and growled. "Pride!"

A swirling black portal tore open the ceiling and a familiar redhead dropped to the floor. Sailor Pride rose from her crouch and smirked. "I'm going to cut that pretty face of yours to pieces, Princess!"

The Revenant Knight thrust his hand forward and fired a blast of lightning into Corey's chest. "If you had any notion of interfering, Guardian Knight, you are mistaken. _I _will be your opponent!"

There was no time for Moon to check on Corey. She was already in motion, rolling under Pride's blade as it sliced through the air towards her; several strands of blonde hair fell to the floor, much to her dismay. _That was too close for comfort!_

Pride cocked her scythe back behind her and cackled maniacally. "Regal Bearing Beauty Scythe!" She swung it forward in a vicious arc, hurling a shimmering violet ribbon out at Moon. She dove aside as the blast tore into the wall behind her, leaving a gaping hole in its wake.

She flipped back to her feet, levelled her Tiare and retaliated. "Starlight Honeymoon Therapy Kiss!" The wave of pink light clipped Pride's arm and spun her around, tearing off one of her forearm protectors; it continued on to lay waste to the Prime Minister's desk behind her.

On the other side of the office, Corey faced off against the Revenant Knight. Smoke swirled in the monster's hands, forming a large, two-handed sword. "It has been some time since I faced anyone in hand-to-hand combat. I look forward to killing you personally, Justice!"

Corey's face remained impassive as red lightning crackled to life around the blade; Justiciar erupted in flames a moment later as he began moving to his right, circling his opponent cautiously.

"Excellent! You are a true Guardian Knight of Justice after all! This will be most satisfying..." He lunged forward, bringing his sword down in a powerful cut. Justiciar met it with a resounding clang, showering the curtains beside them with sparks; they caught fire, casting a dull, eerie glow over the combatants.

Moon's attention snapped back to Pride as she circled Moon with a cold smile. "We've danced to this tune many times, Princess, but we both know this can only end one way. In your death!" She leapt into the air and brought her scythe down hard; Moon knocked the blade aside with her Tiare and it lodged in the floor at her feet. She took advantage of Pride's misfortune and punched her right in the jaw, but the Marauder recovered quickly, lashing out with a forearm shot that staggered the blonde. She leapt back, trying to create some separation, but Pride had other ideas. Her scythe slashed through the air again, looking for Moon's midsection, but she managed to spring over it with a somersault. The Senshi made a somewhat awkward landing beside the remains of Hayashida's desk, but avoiding the Marauder wasn't so simple.

Pride thrust her hand forward with a joyous cackle. "Deadly Vanity Reflection!"

_Damn! _Moon dove behind the broken desk, cringing as shard after shard shattered against the wood above her. Still…two could play at that game. She popped up from cover and sighted down her Tiare. "Starlight Honeymoon Therapy Kiss!" The pink blast lashed out at Pride but before it could hit her she disappeared into into a nearby picture frame. Frustration began setting in - the wall behind Pride had been completely leveled but there was no sign of her. "Damn it!"

"What's the matter, Princess?" Pride's disembodied voice seemed to come from everywhere at once. "Finally realising you can't win?"

"I _could_ win if you'd stop hiding!" she retorted.

"That's doubtful. After all, even your friend Justice isn't doing so well."

Pride wasn't wrong; Moon winced sympathetically as he blocked a lightning blast on his shield and the disc cracked under the strain. It was clear he wasn't going to be able to take many more hits like that.

"I'm doing just fine!" Corey blinked in close to the Revenant Knight and cut into his aura, Justiciar's burning blade setting fire to the smoky substance. The knight roared in anger and poured more lightning into Corey's shield.

Unfortunately, Moon was in no position to help him. She was spinning in a slow circle, watching all of the glass in the room for any signs of movement. This was an old trick now; she knew exactly what to expect. Pride would stalk her from behind the glass, waiting for the perfect opening. _I just have to spot her first_. A flash of red in the mirror by the door caught her eye but she feigned ignorance and continued to turn. Sure enough, Pride leapt out of the glass a second later, scythe swinging for her neck.

The blonde slid under her swing and caught Pride by her hair, slamming her head into the floor. She followed it up with a kick to her face and was rewarded with a wet crack – probably her nose. It was a dirty tactic but she just didn't care about that anymore_. _She had to defeat Pride; there was too much at stake for her to lose.

The redhead actually smiled as she made it to her feet, despite the blood streaming from her broken nose. "I _knew _I'd gotten under your skin but I didn't realise just how badly until now! How does it feel to toss aside all your precious little morals and fight me like you really mean it? I'll bet it burns deep inside..."

"Shut up…"

"Oh, dear. Having a little trouble accepting the truth, are we?" Pride's smile widened even further. "You want to hurt me, don't you? You _need _to hurt me...to make me suffer. You want to watch me bleed; it makes you feel good, doesn't it? I know, Princess…I _know_!"

"Shut up!" Moon tackled her, driving her back into the mirror behind her and shattering it. "I'm nothing like you!" She struck the redhead again and again; the scythe fell from her hands as she aimed another punch at Pride's stomach.

The redhead trapped her arm under her own and smiled gleefully. "Surprise!" She shrugged off her injuries and buried her knee in the Senshi's stomach. Her fingers wrapped around her ponytails and pulled her face-first into the shattered mirror. Moon hit the floor hard, her face aching ; hand-to-hand combat had never been her forte and it was showing now. A hard forearm to the side of the head, a fist to the stomach...Pride was taking control of the fight now after Moon's initial success.

The Marauder laughed triumphantly as she tossed the blonde Senshi into the ruined desk. The blonde lost hold of her Tiare as her head hit the wood; she reached for it blindly as the world span around her. _I__ need…to stand again…_

"Deadly Vanity Reflection!"

She threw herself back instinctively but wasn't quick enough; a cry of pain slipped from her lips as several shards of glass tore into her shoulder, opening up fresh cuts in her skin. _I have to end this soon or she's gonna kill me! _Blood trickled down her arm as she fought to her feet, ignoring the pain and dizziness she felt.

Pride was pleased. "Oh, good! Yes, come at me again. I want your best! I want no doubt left that I'm better than you!"

They exchanged several blows but Moon quickly found herself outmatched again. Pride danced in and around her guard and pain exploded in her side. She looked down to find one of the Marauder's hair sticks lodged in her ribs; she hadn't even seen her thrust.

Corey's fight was going about as well as hers; his shield shattered under the Revenant Knight's onslaught, and he backed away as lightning scored his chestplate. The evil creature's aura _did_ seem damaged in several places but it was clear who was winning the fight.

Pride closed in, an arrogant smirk on her blood-covered face. "Things aren't looking so good for you, Princess." She reached down and pulled her to her feet. Moon landed two good hits to her ribs but the taller, stronger Pride was unfazed. She slammed her armoured forearm into Moon's face again and swept her legs, taking her down to the floor. The blonde stared up at her, dazed, as she reached back for her second hair stick. Her fingers closed around the silver spike, tugging it free from her hair as her lips spread apart in a manic grin. Her crimson locks hung loose around her face, lending her a wild, almost desperate appearance. "You lose!"

"Usagi!" Corey's frantic cry ended with a grunt of pain; she couldn't see what had happened to him.

_It can't end like this. It just can't! We have to hold on until the others reach us. We have to win! _The anger began to grow again and this time she embraced it. Pride had hurt her friends. Attacked her family. Abducted Shingo. _No! There's too much at stake to let her win. __I will _not _lose to this arrogant bitch! __I won't let that happen!_

The Marauder dove for her with a furious snarl, the tip of her weapon aimed right at Moon's face. The blonde brought her feet up without really thinking about it, acting on instinct. Her boots caught Pride in the stomach and propelled the Marauder up and over Moon's head. She landed on the the ruined desk behind them with a wet squelch.

Moon rolled gingerly onto her stomach, careful to avoid the hair stick in her side, and made it to her hands and knees. Corey was still fighting, though blood marred his silver armour, trickling from a ragged tear in his right pauldron. She staggered over to Pride and found her lying across the shattered desk; a jagged piece of wood jutted out of her chest, her hair stick still clutched in her hand.

The redhead looked up at her in confusion and coughed; specks of blood fell on her face as more dribbled from between her lips. "But…I'm better. _Me_…"

"You were never better, Pride. It just took me a while to realise that." Moon was vaguely disturbed to find she felt no sympathy or regret over Pride's fate. "You brought this on yourself."

She thought Pride seemed almost…relieved? "Maybe…just maybe…this time…will be…the last…" One last ragged breath slipped from her lips as she shuddered and went still. Her head lolled to one side as her dull eyes continued to stare out unblinkingly.

The Revenant Knight broke away from Corey and roiled across the floor towards her; his tone was one of amusement. "Pity. Pride always was an arrogant fool…but she had her uses." His eyes flashed ruby red. "Perhaps I will resurrect her again when all this is over..."

"You really are sickening," Moon muttered, readying herself for round two.

The office door exploded behind them in a ball of flame as her friends finally arrived. Mars, Venus and Chibi Moon headed for her as the others surrounded the Revenant Knight.

"Your time is up!" Venus snapped. "Venus…Wink Chain-"

"Do not bother." His clawed hand rose and a swirling portal opened in the wall behind him. "Enjoy your victory, Princess, for it will be brief." He began to sink through the portal, almost absorbed by the cloud. "I still hold your friends. Come and take them from me…if you dare." His eyes were the last thing to fade, remaining locked on Sailor Moon until the end.

It remained open behind him in a clear invitation to follow; one Pluto didn't hesitate to accept. "We can still catch him-"

"Sorry, Pluto, but I'm going to need a minutes." Moon reached out to steady herself on the ruined desk, grateful there were no mirrors left behind; she was sure she looked like a real mess. "I just need to catch my breath."

Corey stepped over and patted her on the shoulder; he looked like hell too. "You were amazing, Usagi. Pride had no idea what hit her."

"Thanks." She flashed him a tired smile. "You didn't do too badly yourself, holding off the Revenant Knight single handed like that."

"Yeah, well...I get the feeling he was holding back." He turned an annoyed glare on Mercury as she opened her computer. "I'm fine."

She sighed and began scanning Sailor Moon instead. "You look awful, Usagi. Perhaps it would be better if you sat the next stage out-"

She was in a lot of pain, true, but there was zero chance of her resting now. "No can do, Ami. I have way too much to do to sit on the sidelines. I'm done running. We have the initiative this time and we need to use it."

Mamoru was clearly unhappy with her stance. "Usako-"

She cut him off quickly. "Mamo-chan, I'm fine. Really. Most of the cuts are already closing. Right, Ami?"

Her blue-haired friend was also less than impressed. "Yes, _but-_"

Moon glanced at Venus and smiled faintly. "If Minako can survive a night with a broken back I'm sure I can handle some cuts and bruises. Please, just get this stick out of my ribs and patch me up."

"Alright…but I'm not happy about it." Mercury reached back into her subspace pocket and produced her med-kit. "Try to hold still."

"Usagi…" Venus was staring down at Pride with wide eyes. "What happened?"

"She dove at me and I flipped her onto the desk. It was an accident, but…" _But I'm not gonna shed any tears now that she's dead…again._

The blonde seemed to hesitate. "Are you…?"

"I'm fine, Venus. I know you mean well and I appreciate that you're concerned, but this isn't what happened to you…and she isn't Fury." She left the last part unspoken. _So please just drop it._

The other blonde nodded quietly. "Okay."

Jupiter leaned over the redhead's body and shrugged. "Good riddance, I say. Hopefully she stays dead this time."

"Agreed," Mars said. "Usagi, take my hand."

"Okay…" Moon did as she was told. "Why did you want me to-" She screamed in pain as Mercury pulled the hair stick from her ribs, her fingers clamping down on Mars' hand. "God, Ami! Maybe you could warn me next time?!"

Mercury shrugged as she began packing the wound with gauze. "You wanted it out, Usagi."

Mars released her hand and Mamoru took her place. "Maybe you _should _sit this one out. You're not looking so good."

She winked. "Come on, Mamo-chan, we both know I'm gorgeous, even now."

He didn't laugh. "You know what I mean, Usako."

She sighed and squeezed his hand. "I know. But I can't quit now. Hotaru and Titus are still being held somewhere through that portal…and I can't let them down." She hesitated; this was the hard part. "Now, please…do me a favour?"

"Anything."

She took a deep breath and prepared herself for a fight. "Take Chibiusa back to Uranus and Neptune and keep her safe."

He didn't disappoint her. "What?! No, I won't leave-"

Chibi Moon was equally unhappy. "I'm not gonna just-"

"Enough!" She gave them both her 'the queen has spoken' look – it was a work in progress but it seemed to be having an effect. "Mamo-chan, I have enough protectors. I need_ you_ to keep our daughter safe. The Revenant Knight is still toying with us and I have to know Chibiusa is safe."

Mamoru nodded reluctantly and squeezed her hand. "Alright, Usako...I'll do it."

"As for you, Chibiusa…" She winced as Mercury prodded an especially sore spot. "This isn't a game. I know it hurts, but the truth is you're not strong enough for this battle and I can't bear the thought of something happening to you. So, please...go with Mamoru and keep yourself safe. For me."

Chibi Moon stared back at her for several long seconds before rushing forward to hug her. "You have to keep yourself safe, too, okay?"

Moon smiled faintly as she returned the hug. "Deal."

"Come on, Chibiusa." Mamoru took her hand and led her through the shattered window and down to the ground.

Moon stretched experimentally as Mercury took a step back and frowned. "There. You're all patched up but I'm still not convinced you should be doing anymore fighting."

"I'll survive, Ami. I promise." The adrenaline was kicking in again now; she felt strong as she stepped up to the portal and stared into its swirling depths. "Do we have any idea where this leads?"

Corey joined her. "It won't be pleasant, wherever it goes."

"That doesn't matter," Pluto said softly. "We have to find Hotaru."

"And Titus," he agreed.

"So," Mars asked, "what are we waiting for?"

Moon nodded determinedly. "Come on, everyone. Let's go get our friends back!"

* * *

AN: So, Pride's dead (again) - I wanted to give her a proper send-off this time _and_ show Usagi was capable of standing against her on her own. Usagi's not so naive anymore but she isn't sure she likes who she's becoming instead. The next chapter is already summarised, but I've got a busy few days ahead - I'm hoping for a week max between updates. Thanks to everyone for sticking around and continuing to read and review - I really appreciate it. Back soon!


	27. The Revenant One Arrives: Part 1

Quick note to begin: Apologies for the drought between updates – here's a double chapter to make up for it! Enjoy!

* * *

Sailor Moon didn't walk out of the portal so much as fall from it. She stumbled forward, somehow managing to stay on her feet as her friends emerged behind her. Her stomach lurched suddenly as she fought to regain her balance, threatening to spill its contents in a most unladylike manner. _And I thought Corey's teleport was rough_, she groused silently. _I'm never going through one of these stupid things again! _Her eyes widened in confusion as she realised where she was. "What? This is…"

Mars sounded just as surprised. "The Moon Kingdom?"

Moon took a tentative step forward, looking around at the garden they found themselves in. _These are the Royal Gardens, _she realised. _I remember meeting Endymion here when I couldn't slip away to Earth._

Venus dropped into a crouch and tugged a handful of grass out of the ground. "It feels so real…" Her hand opened, allowing it to flutter to the ground in the windless environment. "But it can't be. This has to be another reality pocket…right?"

Mercury didn't even look up from her computer. "Pocket reality."

An exasperated sigh slipped from Venus' lips. "I swear, Ami, if you correct me one more time tonight I'm going to-"

"Shhh!" Moon hissed. "Do you hear that?"

Corey's hand moved to rest on the pommel of his sword. "Hear what?"

She turned slowly as she sought the source of the sound. "Someone's crying." It was somehow coming from everywhere at once. _B__ut that's impossible, isn't it?_

"It's Hotaru." Pluto sounded calm on the surface, but Sailor Moon was sure she detected a note of concern in her voice.

"But that's impossible," Jupiter protested. "We're outside! How are we hearing her? And why?"

"Because the Revenant Knight wants us to," Mars answered.

Corey glared up at the castle with disdain. "He's toying with us. Just like he has all along."

"Moon Castle is a lot bigger than I remember," Venus said, looking up at the towering structure above them. "Finding Hotaru isn't going to be easy."

"I wouldn't say that," he murmured.

Sailor Moon nodded gently; she knew exactly what he meant. "The throne room."

"Of course," Mars agreed. "Where else would that arrogant bastard be?"

They made their way through the gardens and entered the main courtyard. One thing was clear; the Revenant Knight had left out the Moon Kingdom's inhabitants when recreating it. This world was even quieter than the ruins in the real world.

Mercury's computer beeped quietly every now and then as it took readings of their surroundings. She was utterly absorbed in the data. "The level of detail is incredible. Just look at those fountains!"

Venus let her fingertips brush over a marble statue of Selene. "I wonder how he does it."

"Memory, probably." Corey's pauldrons rose slightly as he shrugged. "I have to keep reminding myself that he lived here once. A very long time ago."

Mercury stared out from beneath her visor at a nearby pillar. "To be able to recreate all this from memory…" She shook her head as she moved on. "It's a shame he's hell-bent on destruction. His intellect is his most impressive ability."

The conversation lulled again as they entered Moon Castle itself. Sailor Moon found herself a little awestruck - she'd only seen her former home as a ruin, or in snippets of dreams and memories. The lavish carpets, the marble floors, the tapestries, the stonework; she found it hard to believe she'd once lived here.

"I remember this," Corey said quietly. "The Great Hallway."

Jupiter's reaction was a little less articulate. "Wow…"

Moon just nodded in agreement; wow was right. The Great Hallway lay before them, an impossibly large room lined with pillars on either side. A high, vaulted ceiling hung overhead, decorated with a series of intricate paintings of the various planets of the solar system. She took a few hesitant steps forward; the crying was growing louder. "Come on, we have to find Hotaru and Titus."

Venus hissed a warning. "Wait!"

She came to a stop as two figures emerged from behind the pillars ahead. They wore the familiar armour of the Guardian Knights…but something was terribly wrong. Mercury raised a hand to her mouth as she gasped, an assessment Moon was forced to agree with.

The silver finish of their armour was tarnished with blood. The taller of the two had what should have been a fatal wound to his chest. Bits of gore hung from the jagged edges of the tear in his chestplate. Moon was sure she could see his heart through the hole…and it wasn't beating.

His compatriot spoke first. "Hold, Your Highness." The voice was raspy but recognisable as Terror. He had no visible signs of injury but there was blood all over his chest; it seemed to be coming from his throat. "We would speak with you."

Venus actually looked ill. "Is that…?"

"Honour and Faith," Corey murmured. "At least that's who they're _supposed_ to be."

Jupiter folded her arms across her chest. "What the hell happened to them?"

He shrugged. "I killed them. A thousand years ago."

"Yes," Faith agreed. "You did this to us, brother."

"No." Moon knew what had happened at the fall of the Moon Kingdom; Corey told her everything after he regained his memories. "You did this to yourselves when you turned against my mother!"

Corey shook his head. "Don't waste your time, Usagi. It's just another trick."

"We did our duty!" Honour snapped. "Our Oaths were clear! We stood between the darkness and the light…"

"Eternally vigilant in defence of this great kingdom." Faith raised an armour-clad finger to point at her. "Your mother had become the greatest threat the Moon Kingdom faced. The people cried out for justice…but even Corval was silent."

Corey remained quiet but she could see the muscles in his jaw clenching.

"We fulfilled our Oaths," Faith said, oddly calm, "and Justice slew us. He betrayed _his_ Oath to side against us! Surely you can see that now?!"

Honour's helmet dipped in a slow nod. "_This _is the man you give your trust to. A failure. An oath-breaker who turned his back on his duty!"

"Begone!" Mars growled, as she flashed Corey a smile. "He's earned our trust."

"And our friendship," Jupiter agreed.

Venus smiled as she squeezed his hand. "_And_ my love."

Mercury dismissed her visor and matched the others' smiles. "He's one of us, now."

Pluto remained silent, but she did grace him with a gentle nod.

"Which means he's stuck with us for a _very _long time," Moon said, nudging him gently. "Whether he likes it or not."

"You guys…" Corey said, with a gentle smile. "Thank you."

Faith and Honour faded away as the entire palace began to shake around them and a booming voice echoed through the hall. "How predictable. You Sailor Senshi are as disappointing as the ones that stood in my way two thousand years ago. You claim to stand for justice...yet you side with a man who admits failing as its very avatar? I name you what you truly are. Hypocrites!"

"No!" Moon cried, staring up at the ceiling. "Honour and Faith were _wrong_!"

"Were they?" His voice rumbled around the room again. "Did they not have legitimate grievances? Were they not fighting for the existence of the Moon Kingdom itself?"

"No!" She found herself troubled at how quick to anger she was these days. "They fought for themselves and their selfish notions of revenge!"

"Easy, Usagi," Corey said. "Engaging him is pointless."

Pluto reached out to squeeze her shoulder. "Corey's right. He's just trying to distract you."

"Don't give him the satisfaction," Mars said. "The throne room's straight ahead…anyway?"

"Yeah," Venus agreed. "We continue through that arch, take a quick right and…" Her brow furrowed in confusion. "Huh? How did I know that? I don't know my way around Moon Castle. At least I didn't..."

"It's coming back to me, too," Jupiter said. "Being here, even if it's a recreation…it must be jogging our memories."

Moon led the way forward, through a hall she was actually beginning to remember as well. _When I was young I used to hide in here…behind the pillars. Waiting for mother to come out of the throne room. But I was never able to surprise her. Somehow, she always knew when I was waiting for her._

At last, they reached two large doors that marked the throne room. An intricately detailed carving of the moon itself adorned them, surrounded by an ancient Lunarian script she couldn't read.

"Let's see if he's home." Corey stepped forward and pushed against the doors.

They resisted for a moment and then swung back with a groan. The Senshi entered the throne room and came to a stop almost immediately. It was exactly as Sailor Moon remembered it with one key difference. The Revenant Knight sat on the throne…with Queen Serenity standing by his side. There was no sign of Hotaru but Sailor Moon could still hear her crying. _Another trick._

"Welcome home, Senshi." He beckoned them forward. "How do you like my little piece of the Moon Kingdom?"

Moon stared at the spectre of her mother, unable to look away. Part of her knew the woman wasn't real, of course…but she was difficult to ignore all the same. After all, she'd never met the _real_ Queen Serenity - it was always some sort of recreation or hologram.

Mars leaned in close. "She's not real, Usagi."

"I know…"

The queen smiled and opened her arms wide. "My Lord Revenant has welcomed you, dear Serenity. Won't you return his greeting?" Her eyebrow arched sharply. "I _know _I raised you better than that."

Moon smiled sadly; hearing her mother address their enemy as _Lord _Revenant removed all traces of doubt from her mind. "You're not Queen Serenity."

"I am saddened to hear that you-"

"Enough!" Her fingers clenched around her Tiare tightly. "You must be really desperate to try using the image of my dead mother against me. You're pathetic."

"Desperate?" His laughter surrounded them as it echoed around the room. "Not at all, Princess. I just thought you might like a chance to explain your actions to her. It may prove…cathartic."

"Explain my actions?"

"Yes." His eyes flashed as he flexed his fingers. "You murdered Sailor Pride, after all."

"Murder?!" She was horrified by his accusation…but the doubt was already beginning to set in. _No, that's not right. I didn't murder her. It was self-defence! Wasn't it? _"I…no, I-"

He seized upon her moment of hesitation. "You see, Senshi? She must try to justify her actions, even to herself. Your Princess killed Sailor Pride and _enjoyed _it. I see it in her heart!"

Moon remained silent, lost in thought. _This _has_ changed me, _she thought. _I'm so quick to anger now. I've killed so easily. _She swallowed nervously as she made her most damning realisation. _I felt nothing when Pride died. She hurt me, my friends…my family. What if…on some level…I _did _want her to die?_

"Yes…" The Revenant Knight rose slowly from the throne and took a step towards her. "I can see the doubt within you…the conflict. She sought to kill you. She sought to kill your friends and your family. Why should you shed any tears for her?"

"I didn't…"

Venus was suddenly beside her, a comforting presence. "He's wrong_,_ Usagi. I know you, and I don't believe for a second that you took any kind of pleasure in what happened to Pride." She squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. "I wondered the same thing after Fury died; that I'd somehow wanted her dead. I know now that it's only natural to second guess yourself after something like that. It's natural to feel relief, too…but you did _not _murder her. None of us believe that."

Yes. Venus was right. _I didn't murder her_. _Her death may not have upset me but I wasn't glad about it, either. _She smiled faintly back at Venus, then directed her attention to the throne. "You can try to turn us against each other all you like, but it's never going to work. You might as well cut the act."

"As you wish." He turned...and tore Serenity's throat out. The silver-haired monarch fell to the floor in a spray of crimson, blood staining her pure white gown as it pooled around her.

Moon took a deep breath and grit her teeth. _It's not real. She's just an illusion. _She stepped forward and raised her Tiare once more. "Enough of these games! Release Hotaru and Titus!"

"Foolish little girl…" A single clawed finger rose to point at her. "You _still _cling to the misguided belief that you have a chance against me? Do you _really _think I am somehow afraid of confrontation?"

Her eyes narrowed. "I said-"

"All of this has been for my amusement!" Lightning flickered across his helmet; he seemed larger, all of a sudden. More imposing. "Your predecessors condemned me to an eternity of isolation! I held on to my rage in the void; it was the only thing that kept me alive, even when my body turned to dust!" Power erupted from his hands; the Senshi were hurled back into the wall behind them. "All I had left were my dreams! Dreams of someday returning home…and murdering each and every last member of the royal family. Dreams of taking the Silver Crystal's power and ensuring that every living thing in this galaxy felt my pain!"

"So you finally reveal the truth!" Corey snapped, as he pushed himself back to his feet. "This whole charade was never about some noble quest to rid the galaxy of Chaos. You just want to make us all suffer like you did!"

"I admit it freely!" The ash-knight drifted closer, red energy crackling around his fingers. "Do you see it now, Princess? I have toyed with you since my arrival. Any victories you have won were because _I _allowed them!"

"That's a lie!" Mars cried.

"I don't believe you!" Moon agreed. "You can try and-"

He interrupted her with a mocking tone. "I wanted to see how far you would bend before you broke, and you did not disappoint. So much anger, Princess. So much _rage_. Your little rivalry with Pride was quite entertaining. Perhaps I will allow you to live on within me once I have devoured you…so I can watch the two of you battle for the rest of eternity!"

Jupiter raised her fists. "You'll have to go through us first!"

"So be it." He raised his hand. "No more illusions. No more games. Let us _all _accept reality!"

The throne room shattered around them, revealing the confines of the Prime Minister's office. The body of Noboru Hayashida fell to the floor as he rose into the air, free of its confines. "Taste _true _power…_Sailor Moon_!"

A purple blast lashed out at her; she dove under it, her skin tingling in the air as it passed overhead. Another blast struck her friends and knocked them to the ground. The windows shattered as Corey flew through them, his armour scorched and dented. Mars and Venus recovered first; they flipped back to their feet to protect her as more cloud streamed out of the air vents, swirling around them. Dozens of clawed hands reached out from its depths to swipe and tear at their uniforms.

Sailor Moon leap out of reach and raised her Tiare. "Silver Moon Crystal Power!" Her attack lashed out and burned into the maelstrom, but was unable to reach the Revenant Knight behind it. She kept up her efforts; she risked using vital energy she might need later but they had to break free from his clutches.

"A futile effort!" he roared.

An ominous groan came from above as the ceiling began to collapse. Corey blinked back into their midst and summoned his shield above them, deflecting most of the debris away. The mass of smoke began closing in as the Revenant Knight laughed, dozens of claws reaching out for the Senshi again.

"Supreme Thunder!" Jupiter unleashed blast after blast of electricity into it with no effect.

"We need to get out of here!" Mars yelled.

Pluto shook her head. "Not without Hotaru!" She swung the Garnet Rod into the cloud, destroying several of the hands. "Dead Scream!" Her blast tore into the smoke itself but did little damage.

"Mars is right!" Corey snapped. "Titus is still in here, too, but we're not helping either of them if we get ourselves killed!"

Mars didn't wait for an answer; she found the nearest wall and raised her hand. "Burning Mandala!" Eight rings of fire blew through the wall, shattering concrete and melting rebar. "This way!" More of the ceiling began to collapse on them as they tried to escape.

Moon followed Venus through the hole and out into the street. What she saw froze her blood in her veins; a massive cloud of ash was descending on the city. _The Revenant Knight is here. He's really here! _Smoky tendrils reached out for the nearest buildings as lightning blasts skittered across its surface and down into the streets below.

"It's just as I saw when Charon Castle was destroyed!" Pluto cried. "Hurry, find cover!"

Moon turned back to the building, the dread in her stomach locking her legs in place. A surging cloud of ash poured through the hole after them.

"You can run, Senshi, but I will _always _find you!"

"Come on!" Venus screamed, as she snagged her arm and pulled her along behind her.

Moon's legs found their own rhythm again as she sprinted down the street with her friends. It didn't feel right to leave without Hotaru and Titus, but Mars was right – they couldn't stay there. _He's not after them, anyway, _she thought. _He wants me…and the Silver Crystal. _His sudden increase in power was terrifying, however. _Was he really just playing with us this entire time? _

Jupiter looked over her shoulder and slowed. "Wait, where's Mercury?"

"Corey's not here, either!" Venus realised. "Did we leave them behind?!"

"Damn it!" Mars glanced over her shoulder. "We must have gotten separated in the collapse! If-" She screamed in pain as a blast of lightning tore into her shoulder and knocked her to her knees.

The Revenant Knight's cruel laughter followed; he was still gaining on them. "I see you!" He rose out of the cloud, his armoured form larger and less transparent than before. But before he could attack again, two familiar voices called out from above.

"Space Sword Blaster!"

"Submarine Reflection!"

Moon glanced up with a relieved smile. "Uranus! Neptune!"

Their attacks combined mid-flight and headed straight for the Revenant Knight. They were two of the heaviest hitting Senshi; this had to hurt him. Moon watched as the colossal blast struck him in the centre of his chest…and left him unharmed. His hand rose, and he lashed them with another blast of crimson lightning. Uranus tried to shield Neptune but it was in vain; they cried out in pain as they collapsed, smoke rising from their uniforms.

His eyes flashed as he resumed his pursuit. "How disappointing."

Pluto raised the Garnet Rod and stepped before him. "Get Sailor Moon to safety! I'll hold him off!"

Mars and Venus closed in around her and took hold of her arms. "Come on, Usagi, we have to run!"

She was pulled along reluctantly, her thoughts with their missing friends. _Ami, Corey…please, be alright!_

* * *

AN: Part Two should already be up for your reading pleasure – it continues right along from here. Thanks for reading.


	28. The Revenant One Arrives: Part 2

Quick AN to begin: This is Part 2 - if you somehow skipped Part 1, go back and read that first. Enjoy!

* * *

Sailor Mercury breathed a sigh of relief as Corey pulled her out of the debris. "Thanks."

"No worries." He glanced around the ruined office and frowned. "I think we got left behind."

"They must have been chased off," she murmured. "They wouldn't leave us willingly."

"No, they wouldn't." Corey glanced up at the ruined ceiling. "Why is it so dark…oh."

Mercury lifted her gaze and swallowed nervously; a large black mass was slowly descending on the city. "Oh, indeed." She reached up to activate her visor and immediately began receiving data. _There's n__o doubt about it, _she thought solemnly. _That's the Revenant Knight's true form. He's here._

"Goddamn," Corey whispered. "This is bad."

She flinched at a distant explosion as a blast of lightning lanced down from the cloud and levelled an office building. "We need to find the others."

"You'll do no such thing!"

A gleaming blade slashed in at them from the left; Corey grabbed her and, just like that, they were on the other side of the room. A wave of nausea hit her hard as she fought to regain her balance. "How can you keep doing that to yourself?!"

"You get used to it eventually," he said, his sword raised.

Mercury looked up and saw a smaller cloud of ash drifting just above the floor. A battered helmet and pauldrons rose out of it slowly. "Terror."

Red eyes flashed beneath the torn slit. "Leave now and you condemn Sailor Saturn and the little cat spy to death."

"Can't you take a goddamned hint and just die already?" Corey snapped.

Terror shifted shapes, his halberd emerging from the smoke again. "Not while you draw breath!"

"Fine." Corey swung his sword in a lazy circle and took a step forward. "Let's just get this over with before you start ranting about the Moon Kingdom again!" He blinked towards his former comrade and slashed down at him.

Mercury watched with some trepidation as they exchanged blows; melee combat wasn't really one of her strengths. She could hold her own against a Construct or two, but Terror? He was problematic before…and now he was a _cloud_ – that made things a lot more difficult.

Terror suddenly surged towards her, and she wasn't fast enough to dodge him entirely. His halberd nicked her forearm, drawing a bloody line up and along her bicep to her shoulder. Mercury bit down on her bottom lip to hold back a cry of pain and retaliated. "Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!" The blast was off target, however, and hit the ruined wall beside him.

The Shadow-Knight laughed. "Not good enough, Sailor Mercury."

Corey appeared out of nowhere and crashed into him from the side. Terror was solid enough to feel the impact and they went down in a tangle of limbs.

"That was a mistake, _brother_!" Terror collapsed into his cloud-form again and enveloped the Guardian Knight.

"Corey!" Mercury saw points form in the cloud and heard the sound of tearing metal, followed by grunts of pain...but Corey wasn't finished yet.

"Judicial Flames!" Terror ignited, the cloudy material that formed his body burning like tinder.

He _laughed_; it was one of the most unnerving things Mercury had ever seen. "That won't save you this time, Justice!" The smouldering cloud whirled around Corey and knocked him to the floor; there were several bloody holes in his armour where Terror had torn through it. The halberd formed again and dipped low, aimed at his throat.

Mercury had to do something. She raised her arms, ignoring the pain in her shoulder, and called her attack. "Mercury-"

A purple bolt of light lanced through her side before she could finish and she hit the floor. She could smell something burning…and had the vague idea it was _her_. The pain followed a second later; it was more intense than anything she could remember feeling in a long time. Terror's beam had hit the left side of her lower abdomen. _A through-and-through_, she thought idly, diagnosing her injury as she immediately applied pressure without even thinking about it. Her uniform began soaking up blood around the wound as Terror's smoky fingers pointed towards her head.

"You lose…"

A blur of white and black flashed in front of her as he unleashed another blast. "Silence Wall!" Sailor Saturn's shield appeared before them, deflecting the bolt into the wall to their left.

"What?!" The clearly startled Terror actually hesitated…and that was all Mercury needed; she'd had enough time to come up with a new plan.

"Sabao Spray Freezing!" The cloud of bubbles shot out around Saturn and surrounded the Shadow-Knight; they began to freeze the dust and ash particles that made up his form, locking him in place.

"What…are you…doing?!" His hand snapped off and hit the floor, his halberd still firmly in its grasp.

Corey pulled himself to his feet and stepped around to face his old enemy. Justiciar burst into flame, the blade burning in the dim light as he raised it high and brought it down on Terror's head; it cleaved the Shadow-Knight in two. He raised his other hand slowly. "Judicial Flames!" A raging ball of fire erupted and washed over his remains, consuming Terror entirely. "Stay dead this time, you bastard."

Mercury accepted Saturn's hand and winced as the movement tugged on her wound. "How did you escape?"

The younger girl gestured to the doorway; a familiar black cat leant against the doorframe. "Titus got us out as soon as Terror left."

She was sure the cat was smiling, albeit wearily. "It was quite a daring act of bravery, I assure you."

Corey reached down to pat his head. "It's good to see you alive and well, buddy."

For once, Titus seemed happy for the attention. "And you, Corey."

Hotaru seemed to be fighting a battle within herself; she alternated between staring awkwardly at the floor and back at Corey nervously. One side obviously won out in the end, and she hugged him. "I'm so sorry I got you all into this mess-"

"It's not your fault," he said quickly, as he returned her hug with one arm. "I'm just glad you're safe."

She stared up at him almost suspiciously. "You really are, aren't you? Even after I told you to leave me alone..."

Corey stifled a chuckle. "Of course I am. Even if it's not what you want right now, Hotaru…I'm your friend. That hasn't changed."

Mercury smiled as Saturn responded by hugging him again.

"It is what I want," she said softly. "And I-" Her voice cut off suddenly as she pulled away from him, a look of panic on her face.

"What is it?" Mercury asked, a feeling dread growing in her stomach. "What's wrong?"

"It's the others!" Saturn said, obviously in a state of panic. "We have to get to them! They're in a lot of trouble! I can feel it!"

Mercury turned to Corey. "You can get there faster than the rest of us. Go! We'll catch up!"

He nodded sharply. "Alright. Stay safe, Ami. I'll see you soon!" He disappeared in a flash of golden light, leaving them alone in the office.

Titus limped over awkwardly and glanced up at her. "Forgive me for saying so, Ami, but you don't look so good. Perhaps you should treat that wound before we go anywhere?"

"There isn't time!" Hotaru whimpered. "They're hurt. They're _dying_!"

Mercury pressed her hand to her wound again and led the way out of the office. _Please, everyone, just hold on a little longer!_

* * *

"Damn it!" Mars swore. "Dead end!"

They were blocked in on all sides by a collapsed building. Moon turned, ready to fight, but found Venus standing in her path…staring down the Revenant Knight.

He drifted to a halt and chuckled. "Sailor Venus, leader of the Guardian Senshi. I have seen your fears as well. Strange, for one as strong as you." His voice took on a decidedly ominous tone. "You and Fury are more similar than I had thought."

"Shut up!" she shot back.

"Such fire," he said, with another laugh. "Such passion. Your strength is impressive...but I wonder how you taste?"

"Why don't you try and find out?" She thrust her hands down at her sides. "Venus..."

"Venus, don't!" Moon cried.

"…Wink Chain…" Her chain shimmered into existence and began to uncoil.

Mars pulled Moon aside. "Wait for Venus to attack. We'll all hit him together!"

Jupiter nodded quickly. "Right!"

"…Sword!" Venus gripped the golden light blade and dashed forward, bringing it down on his head. The blade stopped as it hit the thick cloud around him and lodged in his aura. "What?!"

"Poor Venus," he growled. "You are nothing to me. Inconsequential. _Irrelevant_." He backhanded her across the face and seized her wrist as she staggered back.

"Venus!" Moon raised her Tiare. "Silver Moon Crystal-"

"Jupiter-"

"Mars-"

The evil creature's eyes flashed. "Soul Tear!"

Venus' scream was horrific as he reached _into _her chest and withdrew a shimmering golden orb of energy, pulling it free with one final tug. The blonde's eyes went dim, as if the very spark of life itself was gone, and she fell to the ground.

Moon's heart felt like it was being squeezed in a vice. "Minako!"

Jupiter did nothing, frozen in a state of shock, while Mars cried out in rage. "Mars Flame Sniper!"

The burning arrow dissipated harmlessly as it hit his aura. The Revenant Knight closed his fist around the golden orb and it disappeared into his body. "Ah, the essence of a Sailor Senshi...there really is nothing like it in the galaxy!" He chuckled darkly. "Excellent. You should be proud of her; she fights me even in death. That will make the feast all the more satisfying!"

Sailor Moon was still in shock. _Minako can't be dead. She can't be! _She tore her eyes away from the blonde's prone form and levelled her Tiare at him. "Give her back, or I'll-"

"You will do nothing of consequence." He all but ignored her as he turned to Jupiter and Mars. "One of you, perhaps..."

The two Senshi nodded to one another and flew into motion. The brunette leapt high above him and unleashed her most powerful attack. "Jupiter Oak Evolution!"

"Mars Flame Sniper!"

Their blasts hit the cloak of darkness around him and faded harmlessly. He sighed, as if bored, and shook his head. "I expected better from the vaunted Sailor Senshi." His body shifted again as he collapsed into his cloud-form and streamed across the ground towards them with impossible speed.

"Look out!" Mars shoved Jupiter aside and was immediately enveloped in the smoke herself.

"Rei!" Moon brought her Tiare to bear but hesitated for fear of hurting her friend. _I can't risk it! If I hit Rei…_

"Soul Tear!" There was a flash of purple within the cloud as it suddenly twisted, reshaping itself into the Revenant Knight once more. He let the miko drop to the ground, her body crumpling as it fell from his grasp. "Oh, dear…another friend lost. Whatever shall you do?"

"Rei…" It felt like the world itself was collapsing in around Usagi as she stared down at her best friend. _First Minako, and now Rei…_

"Jupiter Oak Evolution!"

He raised his hand almost casually and blasted the brunette with a crimson energy bolt; she hit the ground trembling, her uniform scorched and torn. "I am going to take everything from you, Princess. Then, when you are completely broken…I will consume you, too."

"Usako!"

She looked up in horror and saw Tuxedo Kamen and Chibi Moon running for her. "No, stay back!"

"Ah, yes…the Earth prince and the annoying little girl." His clawed hand rose before him. "Shall I take them next?"

"Please…" It was barely a whisper; all she could muster.

His eyes flashed as he cocked his head. "Hmm?"

"Please…" She swallowed past the lump in her throat and tried again. "Please, don't."

"You wish me to spare them?" he asked, clearly amused. "Would you trade the Silver Crystal for their lives?"

Her gaze fell on Minako again. _You asked me once if I'd ever choose one of you over the crystal. If it was going to be anyone, it would be Mamoru or Chibiusa…but even now, how can I make that choice when I know what's at stake?_

"You are out of time!" He lunged forward at the new arrivals; Tuxedo Kamen grabbed Chibi Moon and dove aside, narrowly avoiding his touch.

"Stay out of reach!" Moon cried. "As long as he doesn't touch you-"

"Wrong again!" The Revenant Knight thrust his hand forward at Chibi Moon and laughed. "Soul Tear!"

A purple bolt lashed out, heading right for her. The pink-haired Senshi froze up, as her mother had done so many times when she was younger.

Usagi's heart jumped into her throat. "Chibiusa!"

At the last second, a blur of black dove in front of her; Mamoru let out a cry of agony as the bolt wrapped around him, surrounding him in a crackling sphere of energy. A rose coloured orb drifted free of his chest and hung in the air before him.

The evil creature extended his hand and the orb drifted over to him. "Unexpected, but not entirely unpleasant." His eyes locked on Chibi Moon. "But he was not my target."

Sailor Moon rushed towards her fallen love…but was struck with a blast of lightning. She screamed as she fell backwards, every nerve in her body burning in pain.

"Oh, no, you don't," he called mockingly. "We can't have you interfering now, can we?"

"Chibiusa," she called, her voice raspy with pain. "Run! Just run!"

The girl sank to her knees instead and reached out to shake Mamoru. "Mamo-chan? Mamo-chan?!"

"Soul Tear!" In her grief, Chibi Moon never even saw the blast coming.

"No!" Moon screamed in frustration and pain as Chibiusa fell forward, her eyes dull like Rei and Minako's before her.

The Revenant Knight collected her essence and turned to face Usagi. "Foolish little girl…only now do you begin to realise the truth. You _never _had a chance. I could have annihilated you all from the beginning…but this has proven a most entertaining little diversion."

"You killed them…" she murmured, feeling numb. "You _murdered_ them!"

"No." His reply was as cold as ice. "_You _killed them. They died trying to save you, just as they always do. I see your fears, _Usagi_, and they have come to pass. Those who are not already dead will join the rest in time. I will strike them all down, one by one…until you are alone." He chuckled again. "If it helps, know that they will live on within me…at least until they are finally broken and consumed."

_Healing, _Moon realised vaguely. _Of course! I can still heal them! _She summoned her Tiare again and pointed it at Mamoru and Chibiusa. "Starlight Honeymoon Therapy Kiss!" The familiar burst of pink light washed over them…but had no effect. They remained still, no signs of life to be seen. "Come on!" She shook the scepter frantically and turned it on Minako and Rei instead. "Work, damn you! Starlight Honeymoon Therapy Kiss!" Once again her power surrounded them…but they didn't stir.

The Revenant Knight drifted closer. "Do you really think I cannot keep them from you if I wish it?"

"That's not true! I don't believe you!"

"I have torn their essence from their bodies, Princess. The only way to return their spirit is to heal _them_…and they are now within me." He rose into the air again as the main cloud settled overhead. "You have lost your friends, Princess…_forever_. All you can do now is watch as I take everything else away from you!" He ascended slowly and disappeared into the greater cloud. It swirled around him, forming a laughing face in the storm as lightning lashed the city. An approaching police officer was struck down; he collapsed in the same manner as Rei and Minako, a gleaming orb emerging from his chest to hover above him.

Moon watched it happen, lost in thought. _Mamoru. Chibiusa. Rei. Minako. Gone. They're all gone. _Her fingers slowly clenched around her Tiare as she began to tremble. _No. I refuse to accept that. The old Usagi would cry. The old Usagi would give up. But not me. Not this time. _She recalled the monster's taunts. _Their spirit, their essence…it's within him. He said he was going to enjoy breaking Minako, as if she were still alive because…she is? She's alive…or at least her consciousness is! Along with the others! _

"That's it," she murmured. "Those blasts. They're how he feeds. It's the same attack he used on the others." Her eyes wandered over the cloud. "I have to get up there...but how?"

"Usagi!"

She looked down to see Corey running towards her. "What…?" He trailed off as he took in the scene; a flicker of pain flashed behind his eyes for just a moment, before he hid it. "What the hell happened?!"

"The Revenant Knight happened." She rose to her feet, feeling a strange calm filling her being. _When Wrath reached for the Silver Crystal that time…it reacted. It recognised evil and protected me from his touch. The Silver Crystal is a part of me…my Star Seed…but will it protect even my spirit? _A sudden explosion tore her from her thoughts, and she looked up to see a nearby building collapse as a blast ripped through it. More of the blasts were descending on the city; hundreds, if not thousands of orbs were rising into the sky. The Revenant Knight was devouring Tokyo as he had promised.

She had a duty to save the world…but she'd made her decision. _I can't leave my friends. My family. I have to save them. I won't_ _let anyone else die for me! _She peered up at the sky intently, searching for her chance. Confidence filled her heart; for once, she _knew _this was the way. _He's afraid. Afraid I'll be able to save them._ _That _has_ to be the real reason he didn't just take me too. _A quiet sigh slipped from her lips. "This time I'll die for them if I have to…"

"What the hell did you just say?" Corey tore his eyes away from Venus and grabbed her shoulders. "Are you insane?! That's the last thing we need!"

"Maybe I _am_ insane…but I have to try!" She shoved him back and pushed past him. There, above them; one of the blasts. She rushed towards it, Corey right on her tail. "Keep everyone else alive, Corey! I'm going to bring Minako back to you. I'm going to bring them all back!"

"Usagi!" he cried. "Stop! Just think about this!"

_I'm sorry, Corey, but I _have _thought about it…and this is the only way! _It was strange, but she wasn't scared at all. One way or another, she knew she was going to be reunited with the man she loved, their daughter, and her friends; that made it all worth the risk. She threw herself forward into the blast…and screamed as her body was wracked with pain. Her entire body felt like it was burning. Even her soul!

"Usagi!"

His worried cries faded away as the world went black around her. There was nothing but an odd thumping sound that seemed to be slowing down. Was it…her heart? Yes. She finally realised it was her heartbeat. It seemed so slow, though. Too slow…and just like that, it was gone. There was a final flicker of pain before it all stopped…and Usagi was at peace.

* * *

AN: *Braces for rage* So, a bunch of the girls are dead – including Sailor Moon – and Corey's left to assemble the rest of the injured Senshi against the Revenant Knight and who knows what else. I apologise for the cliffhanger again, too (especially to you, UH-60!) but it was necessary for dramatic effect. I experimented with several different endings but this one hit the hardest for me...so here it is.

Thanks in advance for reading and reviewing, especially my regulars - hopefully you're still enjoying the ride. The good news is I have a lot of the next chapter summarised already…so hopefully it won't be too long of a wait. I look forward to hearing from you as always!


	29. Holding The Line

"Usagi!" Corey ran after her as fast as he could, cursing his earlier blinks. He'd burned himself out searching for the girls and now, when he needed it most, he just didn't have the energy for another one. The cloud flashed above them as another blast arced towards the ground…and Usagi headed right for it. He pushed himself to the brink as he tried to reach her in time but it was an exercise in futility. "No! Don't do it!"

It was too late. She threw herself right into the path of the bolt and screamed as it struck her; it was one of the most horrific sounds he'd ever heard. Corey managed to catch her as she fell, feeling a tingle even through his armour as the residual energy dissipated in the air around them. _I was too slow. I'm always too slow!_

"Come on," he muttered. "Answer me. Usagi?" He laid her down gently, slipped his gauntlet off and held his fingers to her wrist. His heart sank as they fell away again. "No pulse…"

_She's dead, _he thought, as he turned towards Minako. _They're _both_ dead. What the hell am I meant to do now? How am I supposed to just carry on without them? Without...Minako? _It felt as if his heart were being squeezed in a vice; a cold ache spread throughout his chest, bringing with it a numb sensation he recognised all too well from his previous life.

"Oh, Selene..."

He looked up, startled by Pluto's silent arrival. There was a tear in her fuku just above her ribs, and a quartet of ragged, bloody cuts marred her skin beneath it. She dropped into a crouch beside him and reached out to brush Usagi's bangs out of her eyes. "It wasn't supposed to happen like this…"

"So _now _you want to talk about the future?" Corey was unable to keep the bitterness from his voice, and for once Pluto had no retort – she just stared down at their fallen leader in silence. He couldn't do it any longer, though – he needed some space. With no small amount of effort he made it back to his feet and took a few steps back. He came to regret his decision immediately, however, as he spotted her. "Oh, hell...not you too."

Rei lay several feet away from Minako, partially obscured behind a pile of debris. He hadn't seen her at first. The grief was beginning to really hit home now. This was just like Dawkins all over again. _How many of my friends am I going to find dead? I opened up…I let myself start to feel again…and they're all dying. _He reached up to rub his eyes, disturbed to find them moist. _More friends I couldn't save…_

Pluto gasped. "Oh, no…"

_Oh, god, no, _he thought bitterly. _I don't want to see any more. _He turned reluctantly and saw her; Chibiusa lay motionless atop Mamoru, her cheek resting on his chest. "Christ. She's just a ki-" He caught himself in time. _She'd kick my ass for even thinking it. _"She's just...too young."

"Everything Usagi feared has come to pass," Pluto whispered.

Corey whirled and drew his sword at the sound of falling debris. A woozy Sailor Jupiter climbed over a pile of concrete, her uniform torn and burnt. She came to a halt when she spotted Usagi and the others, a tear working its way down her cheek. "Are...are they…?"

"Yeah…" He could barely get his reply out. "Are you alright?"

"I'm much better by comparison." Her voice cracked midway through as another tear followed the first. "I just…I can't believe it."

Corey kept his expression impassive but underneath his calm façade he was on the brink of collapse. The same crippling feeling of despair he'd felt in the past haunted him once again. _Without my love...my Mina...my life is meaningless._ _That's what I said once before…and it feels just as hopeless now._ _Usagi, Rei, Chibiusa, Mamoru…they're all dead. I said I'd protect them, but I failed. _The black cloud above mirrored his heart. _How long before we join them?_

Pluto stared up at the sky beside him, her gaze fixed on the thick black clouds above. "We have to do something. That monster is destroying Tokyo...devouring everyone!"

"Unfortunately, the only one of us truly capable of stopping him is dead," Uranus called, as she helped Neptune over a mound of bricks. She pressed her lips into a thin, white line as she surveyed the scene. "How the hell did this happen?"

"I failed," Corey murmured, as he shook his head. "Again. That's what happened."

"Corey…" Jupiter reached out for his shoulder but he shook her off.

"I wasn't here." _Just like when Dawkins died. _"If I had been, maybe I could have-"

"Maybe you could have died too!" Uranus caught him by surprise when she shoved him hard. "Did you give that any thought, you dumbass?!"

"But-"

"But nothing!" she snapped. "You're _not _dead, so quit acting like you are and start thinking of ways to fight back!"

Corey remained silent as he thought over her words. He hadn't expected a pep talk to come from her of all people, but she was right. _I've given in to grief before, and it's not going to help anyone. Usagi, Minako, Rei…even Chibiusa and Mamoru. They wouldn't want that. They'd want me to fight. They'd want us _all_ to fight._

Neptune shook her head. "But without Usagi, we have no way of bringing any of them back. We have no way of stopping the Revenant Knight!"

Jupiter frowned as she stared down at Usagi. "I guess so…"

"Wait," Corey said, as he remembered her last words. "She said she was going to bring Minako back. She said she was going to bring them _all _back!"

"She did?" The brunette leaned in for a closer look. "You're sure?"

"What does any of this matter?" Neptune demanded. "Usagi's dead!"

"She may be dead right now," Jupiter agreed, "but we've _all _been dead at one point. I'm not giving up on her. Usagi deserves a chance to save us, just like she always does!"

Corey wanted so badly to believe her, but he wasn't sure he could. "Mako…"

"Look at her, Corey. _Really _look at her!"

He studied Usagi carefully and finally saw it. "She's…smiling?"

"It's a sign," Jupiter insisted, as she glared up at Neptune. "We need to give her more time!"

The aqua-haired Senshi sighed in frustration. "Corey, you-"

He held up his hand to silence her, as he dared to let himself hope. "Wait. Maybe Usagi's dead…and maybe she's not. Maybe she snapped and let her grief drive her to madness…or maybe she knew exactly what she was doing." He took a deep breath and breathed out his remaining fear and grief. _I'm _not _Corval anymore, and I'm not going to make the same mistakes again. I won't give up on Usagi. If there's even a chance she can bring them back…we have to give her the opportunity. After all, I'm the Guardian Knight of Justice. I need to start acting like it._

_"_Well?" Pluto asked quietly. "What do you say?"

Corey turned his gaze on the sky and nodded determinedly. "We give her more time."

* * *

Titus uttered a sigh of frustration as his paws moved over the keyboard. He missed the panel in the command centre; typing _was _possible on ordinary keyboards but it was slow going - even with his visor doing most of the work. The office was empty except for him and a small pile of dust that was likely once a Construct; Mercury and Saturn had left a few minutes earlier to find the others.

He was worried – not that he would ever admit it. After more than a thousand years of nervous anticipation, the Revenant Knight was finally here…and they had no real plans for stopping him. _True, we know about Divine Judicial Ordination, but that tome Corey brought back from the past was light on any _real_ information. We still have no idea how to actually use it…or even what it does, for that matter. _Titus let out a heavy sigh as he continued typing; here he was, sitting in front of a computer while the others fought and, if Saturn was correct, likely died.

_It can't be helped_, he thought, forcing himself to be rational. _I'm not much use in a fight. Not unless I have surprise on my side and, even then, I'm not as young as I used to be. No, this fight is beyond me...but I can still help them in my own way._

At long last, he managed to force his way into the camera archives. Titus began scrolling through the footage, searching for anything out of the ordinary. _You were yourself until a point, Hayashida. I just need to find that point…_

There it was. An innocuous enough time and date, unimportant in the grand scheme of things but a crucial piece of the puzzle nonetheless. His paws moved over the keys again and the footage began to play. The _real _Noboru Hayashida stood in his office…staring at thin air.

"What? I don't understand." He seemed confused as he reached for his desk…and froze in place. His eyes darted back and forth; the Prime Minister was definitely nervous. "What…what have you done to me?!"

Titus' eyes widened as he realised what he was about to see. "There you are…invisible until the moment you strike."

A cloudy figure faded into view; spikes jutted from its shoulders, along with a pair of horns from its head – the Revenant Knight in his familiar form. "Fool…you finally begin to realise how small and insignificant you truly are. I have been grooming you from the start…"

The cat watched with interest as Hayashida was taken by the creature…and allowed himself a small smile as he made a copy of the file. _The Senshi's names _will_ be cleared. Now, they just have to find a way to win. _He frowned at the screen and shook his head sadly. _That_ _is going to be the real challenge…_

* * *

Corey held back another sigh as Saturn knelt over Chibiusa. She'd always been quiet but this was something else. _She's just lost her best friend, _he thought sadly. _I can sympathise. _His eyes wandered over Minako's still form again and he supressed a shudder; he still couldn't bring himself to sit with her_. She's not really dead, _he told himself. _Usagi's going to bring her back. She said so. We just have to keep them safe while she does that._

"Company," Uranus called softly.

His eyes flicked up and he noticed them immediately. Constructs. The shadowy creatures skittered around their perimeter, evidently scouting them out. He wasn't worried, though – they could handle a few Constructs without issue. No, he was concerned about a much more problematic enemy. They would have near limitless reinforcements…and they couldn't really hurt them.

As if on cue, a raspy groan drew his attention to their flank. A police officer shuddered and rose from the ground. His eyes were black and his skin had taken on an odd green tinge.

"Empty," he murmured, as he looked up at the sky above them. It was filled with thousands of orbs now; the spirits of innocents, murdered to sate the Revenant Knight's unending hunger. "The city will be consumed in no time."

Mercury paled as she looked up from her computer. "There are already more than ten thousand of them…and that number is increasing exponentially."

One of the Constructs made the mistake of getting a little over-eager and caught Jupiter's attention. "Supreme Thunder!" She dusted it in one hit, sending the rest scrambling back into cover. That was only a temporary fix, of course. They were growing bolder.

The Empty cop approached, leaving Corey with a dilemma on his hands. _I can't kill it. There's still a person in there; they deserve a chance too! _It seemed his choice wasn't so difficult after all. He took its first strike on his forearm and delivered a right cross to its face, dropping it to the ground. Several more Constructs chose that moment to launch their attack and leapt from the shadows around them.

"World Shaking!"

"Deep Submerge!"

Uranus and Neptune's attacks destroyed four of them outright, forcing the remainder into retreat again. It was a familiar pattern; they'd wait until they had numbers before closing again.

Pluto watched them go with a frown on her face. "Might I suggest a retreat? This position is hardly secure."

"We can't leave Usagi and-" His love's name stuck in his throat. "…the others." _I can't get bogged down in grief. This is about more than just Minako. Rei, Mamoru, Chibiusa… we need to protect them all. _"She's gonna bring them back. We just need to buy the time to do it!"

"Agreed!" Mercury called.

Jupiter tossed a second Empty in a wall – he wasn't sure where it had come from but it looked to be down for the time being. "Let her do what she does best!"

Corey leapt onto a section of ruined wall and surveyed the scene. _Alright, big shot, you used to lead troops back in the day. Let's see if any of Corval's knowledge is helpful for our current situation. _He turned and took a deep breath – he was about to find out what the Senshi really thought of him.

"Uranus, Neptune! Rear flank! Destroy any Constructs you see and push the Empty back. No killing; Usagi would want us to spare them wherever possible!"

Much to his surprise, Uranus just nodded and led Neptune towards the approaching mass of Empty without a word.

"Well, I'll be damned," he murmured. "Pluto!" He pointed out another chunk of wall and motioned towards it. "You and Saturn take up positions by that wall. You've got Minako and Rei right behind you – nothing gets through!"

"You've got it!" Saturn called, as she hefted her Glaive and ran for cover, Pluto hot on her heels.

"Mercury, Jupiter, you're over here. That gives us coverage on all three approaches through the rubble. Our objective is simple - we keep the space around Usagi and the others clear!"

"Hey, Tinman!" Uranus did have _something _to say after all. "Exactly what are _you _gonna be doing while we're holding off the horde?"

Corey looked back at her solemnly. "Anything that makes it through you will have to get past me." He drew Justiciar and made ready. _It's the same plan I used during the fall of the Moon Kingdom. Our defenders are set, and I'm the rover…going wherever I'm needed most. I just hope the outcome of _this _battle is a little more in our favour. _He glanced up at the storming sky above him one last time as he remembered Honour's instructions. _Fight for peace, never from anger. _That was a tall order today, though. _The Revenant Knight has killed thousands…including my friends and the girl I love_. _To say I'm angry is an_ _understatement! _Corey summoned his helmet and smiled faintly as its familiar presence blocked out the outside world."Bring it on, you evil son of a bitch."

* * *

"Sparkling Wide Pressure!"

"Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!"

The two Inner Senshi attacked first, dusting two Constructs and disabling another as Mercury froze and shattered its legs.

"Space Sword Blaster!"

One of the larger 'Blade' Constructs went down, a large hole in its torso as the blonde effectively cored it. Several smaller creatures followed it in, meeting a similar end as her World Shaking tore through their ranks.

"Deep Submerge!"

Neptune's attack crushed three more into the ground, grinding them into paste. So far, so good; they were holding their own. _But here come the Empty, _he thought, as dozens of the green skinned creatures lumbered towards them.

"Dead Scream!"

Pluto's attack skipped along the ground in front of the nearest group and drove them back. Saturn span out around her and buried the base of her Glaive in the nearest creature's stomach. She was a blur of motion as she twirled through their ranks, knocking down Empty left and right as Pluto joined her.

They were quickly being surrounded, though, and Corey shouted out a warning. "Back up! They're flanking you!"

Saturn had other ideas, though; she borrowed a page out of his book and raised her Glaive before her. "Silence Wall!" She ran her shield into the nearest group of enemies, using it as a makeshift battering ram to knock them down and open a hole for them to escape through.

On the other side of their improvised battlements, Mercury raised her arms and summoned twin balls of ice. "Sabao Spray Freezing!" The fog enveloped the nearest group of Empty, freezing them solid and buying them a couple of extra minutes. Jupiter blasted another group with Supreme Thunder and they hit the ground, twitching as the current dissipated.

Corey winced; it was less than ideal, but they couldn't afford to let the 'horde', as Uranus described them, surround them. There were far too many of them to fight hand-to-hand and their numbers were only going to continue to grow; the Revenant Knight was quite literally feasting on Tokyo...providing him with practically limitless reinforcements.

Speaking of the evil creature, he was drifting closer. The cloud began to shift and distort above them, as it took on the appearance of a stern, short-haired man. Corey recognised him instantly as the man formerly known as Varelus - the Revenant Knight's original form.

"You should have accepted my offer, Corey…" The face glared down at him from above, a mocking smile on its face. "You could have served as my new right hand. Instead, you shall fall before my might with the rest of your friends!"

Corey ignored him as he dodged more Empty; there was no point arguing with him now. He buried his fist in a slimy temple and caught another with a quick right hook. A third Empty swung at him, and he lifted it onto his shoulders before tossing it through a convenient window. _Perhaps that was a little excessive, _he admitted, _but they're everywhere, damn it. Hurt is better than dead, right?_

The battle raged around him, but it was quickly devolving into a melee. Uranus took down another Empty with a punch to the face, while Pluto and Saturn demolished another group of Constructs. The creatures he'd once dubbed 'Shadow Youma' were quickly thinning out – it looked like their enemy planned on making the Empty his primary focus. _And why not_, Corey thought bitterly. _It's a sound strategy. They're near limitless and he knows we aren't going to kill them._

A strange movement near Usagi caught his attention. _Did she just…? _He shook his head a moment later as he turned again and analysed the battle. _It's just my mind playing tricks on me. She's dead! _Uranus and Neptune were holding their own for now but the other two teams were in danger of being overrun. He started heading for Pluto and Saturn...but stopped at a strange scuffing sound.

"Could she…?" Sure enough, Usagi had twitched. A glimmer of hope sprang up inside him. _She's back! That means Minako and the others are...oh, shit!_

His hopes were dashed as Usagi turned towards him, revealing a familiar crimson glow to her eyes. A faint cloud of ash swirled around her as she spread her arms apart and smiled. "_She _is gone...so her body is available."

Corey left his sword in its sheath – there was no chance of him using it against Usagi, no matter who was controlling her body. "Reanimating her body and using her against us? You're sick!"

An ebony blade materialised in her hands. "Defend yourself...if you can!" The sword lashed out at his neck; he blinked across to Mercury and Jupiter, trying to keep his distance, but she followed. Corey was forced to draw his sword after all, just to ward off her attacks. The blade looked like a cloud but it was definitely solid enough!

"What the hell's going on?!" Jupiter cried, breaking off from the Empty to stare at her possessed friend.

"It's the Revenant Knight! He's taken control of Usagi's body!"

Mercury span around immediately. "What?!"

His heart sank as he spotted a blonde-and-orange blur closing in on Mercury. _Oh, hell, not her too! _"Mercury, look out!"

She dodged impossibly quickly at his warning, but it wasn't fast enough; Minako sank a jagged piece of metal into the back of her shoulder. The blue-haired Senshi recovered quickly and planted a boot in the side of her head. Minako hit the ground but recovered quickly and lunged at Mercury again, completely focused on her opponent.

"How do you like my thralls?" Usagi asked, with a smug laugh. "A body with no consciousness is nothing but an empty vessel. A puppet waiting to be controlled."

Rei joined the fray - or rather, her body did - as she ducked around the dueling Minako and Mercury and dove at Jupiter. The brunette saw her coming, though, and readied a blast of lightning. "Sorry, Rei. Supreme Thunder!" The bolt caught the miko in the chest and knocked her to the ground. But just like Minako, she started to rise again immediately. Jupiter backed away as Rei began to stalk her. "I'm not liking this!"

Corey glared at 'Usagi' as they circled each other. _Damn him for doing this! First he uses the people of Tokyo against us, and now our friends? _His sword dipped as her blade rose. _Keep him off guard. Keep him guessing. He admitted he hasn't fought anyone one-on-one for a long time and that gives me the advantage. I hope._

"You can hurt your friends all you wish," the Revenant Knight said, in Usagi's familiar voice. "But I control their bodies...and they will never stop unless I wish it."

Corey frowned; there was something strange going on. As 'Usagi' spoke, Minako and Rei ceased all movement. _He's actually _inside _Usagi's body...whenever he exerts himself with her, the other two stop. I can use that! _Sure enough, as soon as he finished speaking Minako and Rei began attacking again.

Mercury had seen it too. "Usagi is the focal point! If you-" She was cut off as Minako tackled her to the ground yet again.

There was no time to help her. _Revenant Usagi - _as Corey had dubbed her - lunged forward, swinging her sword again and again. Their blades clashed together in a shower of sparks, and the Guardian Knight quickly found himself retreating again. Completely defensive fighting was a foreign concept to him; Dawkins had taught him to always press the attack. _The key to a good defence, _his acerbic instructor always maintained, _is a great offence! _

A blast of lightning lanced out from her palm and slammed into his chest; his armour was scorched and actually bubbled under the intense heat. Corey hit the ground, pain lancing through his ribcage as he tried in vain to sit up.

'Usagi' halted her advance for just a moment, her fingers slowly clenching into fists.

"Come on, Usagi!" he called desperately. "I know you're still in there somewhere! Come back to us!"

Another blast struck his chest; he bit down on his lip, tasting blood as his muscles convulsed painfully.

"Your faith in your friends is foolish!" The Revenant Knight actually extended up and around Usagi as he spoke, the thin cloud solidifying around him. "There is but one universal truth. I _always _win!"

Corey edged backwards as Usagi stepped towards him; her eyes were dull and lifeless again, now that the evil creature was surrounding her instead of inhabiting her. His back hit something solid; a large chunk of concrete. Mercury let out a panicked gasp as Minako's fingers closed around her throat, while Jupiter was surrounded by Empty, Rei leading their ranks. Things were beginning to look hopeless for them.

He couldn't see the others, but he could hear their cries as they fought. Attacks were few and far between. Were they simply fighting hand-to-hand or had they been subdued? Corey struggled to think of something, _anything _to save them. _How do I hurt the bastard inside Usagi without hurting her too?! _It came to him all of a sudden, straight out of Corval's memories…

_...the Judicial Flames burn away injustice and evil wherever they find it…_

"Honour…" he whispered. _Usagi's not unjust _or _evil. In fact, she's the opposite! The flames didn't burn the Skytree around Terror, either. Is it really that simple? _It went against every instinct in his body...but he had no time left to second guess himself. "There's nothing for it. I can't dodge him forever." His hand came up, palm pointing right at Usagi. _Come on, Selene. K__eep her safe! _"Judicial Flames!"

"What the hell are you doing?!" Jupiter demanded.

The Revenant Knight let out a furious roar of pain as the flames consumed him and Usagi both. His silhouette rose away from her a moment later as the thin cloud around her drifted into the air in a swirl of embers, taking him with it. Corey let the flames die out and lunged forward to catch Usagi as she fell. She was completely untouched, not so much as a spot of soot on her uniform.

Minako and Rei also collapsed abruptly as the puppeteer's strings were cut; the blonde went limp and toppled from atop Mercury, leaving her coughing and retching. There was no time for celebrations, though; the Empty had broken through their lines and were swarming around them.

"Silence Wall!" Saturn tried repeating her trick from earlier but there were just too many Empty to push back.

Corey focused his shield with both hands and extended it; the more powerful disc crashed into the horde and knocked aside a dozen of them, but the strain was immense. "I can't hold them back for long!"

"We can't keep holding back!" Uranus cried. "They're going to kill us!"

"We have to attack!" Neptune agreed.

The cloud above them flashed furiously as lightning erupted in a sudden explosion of energy. A booming voice echoed down along with it as the bolts hit the ground around them. "I grow tired of this little diversion. Prepare yourselves, Senshi...for annihilation!" It had settled right on top of them now, its whirling mass assuming his visage once more. The Revenant Knight laughed as he unleashed a virtual lightning storm upon them.

Corey dove forward and extended his shield over Mercury, grunting in exertion as it absorbed two powerful hits. She rolled to her side, struggling to regain her footing; her little encounter with the motionless blonde to her left had obviously left her weakened. Jupiter narrowly avoided taking a hit of her own as she dove under a pair of narrow eaves.

_We're out of time, _Corey thought, as he glanced around at his friends. _Maybe we've already lost...but if I'm dying today, I'm going down fighting! Usagi, Minako, Rei, Mamoru, Chibiusa...I'm giving it all I've got! We all are!_

"What do we do now?!" Uranus cried, frantically pushing back against the Empty surrounding her and Neptune.

Corey drew a blank, and instead reached down for Usagi, shaking the prone girl by the shoulder. "Come on, Usagi! We need you! Come back to us!"

* * *

AN: Before you say it NO, THIS IS NOT A CLIFFHANGER! Not really, anyway. The chapter has to end here for...well, story reasons. I can't say anything else without spoiling the next chapter for you all. (Okay, so maybe it is kind of a cliffhanger but you'll just have to trust me there was no choice but to end it here!)

We're SO close to the end now - I'm not quite sure how many chapters are left but we're on the last page of my outline. I admit I'm not quite sure how to feel about that. Part of me will be relieved to have actually finished Last Guardian Knight, but I really enjoyed writing it all this time. Once it's done...I don't know what I'll do with myself! I'd like to once again thank everyone who's read, reviewed and otherwise given me feedback over the course of all three acts. You have no idea how much it helped keep me motivated and writing. I hope to have the next chapter posted soon - it's about half complete at this stage - and I especially hope that this third and last finale lives up to your expectations.


	30. The Long Dark

"So Mamo-chan not only dodged my proposal question completely, but he somehow got me to go home and finish my paper for geopolitical studies too!"

Minako shook her head and shrugged. "Just be thankful he did. Imagine the future queen of Crystal Tokyo failing a subject in Political Science!"

"Hey, I'm under no illusions about my future intellect," Usagi retorted. "You've seen the notes I sent back with Chibiusa. Heck, I think my writing's better _now_..."

"Mm."

Usagi frowned at her over her teacup. "Are you alright?"

Minako nodded absently. She had the strangest feeling something was wrong…but that was wrong in itself. Wasn't it? _I'm at the teahouse with Usagi; there's no danger here. _She reached for her own cup and took a sip. "It's nothing. I guess I'm just spacing out."

"Are you sure?"

There was something odd behind Usagi's voice. _She sounds…concerned? But why? _That wasn't the only question on Minako's mind, either. She _knew_ that she'd been at the teahouse for more than an hour now, but she could only remember the last few minutes. _It's as if I was somewhere else…and then I was here. But that's not possible…_

"Minako?"

She realised Usagi was still waiting for an answer and flashed a quick smile. "I'm great. Never better!"

"I'm glad," her friend said, with a smile. "Doctor Hayashida was really worried after your episode last week."

"Episode?" she asked, confused. Alarm bells began ringing in the back of her mind. _What does she mean by episode? And why does it feel like I'm forgetting something important? _"What…I don't…"

Usagi's brow furrowed in concern. "Do you really not remember what happened?"

That got Minako's attention. "I…I _do _feel like I've forgotten something, but-" The waitress returned to top her off but she held her hand over her cup. "I'm fine, thank you."

"Minako…who are you talking to?"

"What?" She turned back to her, puzzled. "The waitress."

"The waitress?" Usagi asked quietly.

"Yes!" This was becoming weird. "The woman right there. She just tried to refill my cup?"

Usagi slowly leaned forward, resting her forearms on the table. "Minako…where do you think we are right now?"

"What? Why?" Her head felt suddenly heavy, as if she were very tired. Minako realised vaguely that she'd felt this way before, but she couldn't recall when, or why. "We're at the teahouse."

Her friend just shook her head sadly. "Look around, Minako. _Really _look around."

The blonde blinked once and slowly, almost fearfully, turned her head. They were seated at a small, plastic table in a plain white room. _But…the teahouse? We were just there! _There were other people in the room too, wearing hospital gowns. That was what the room resembled, in fact. A hospital of some sort. But _why _were they in a hospital, and what had happened to the teahouse? Minako glanced down and found her own clothes gone, replaced with an identical gown. Her hair was wasn't in her peripheral vision, either. She reached up and gasped as she found it tied back in a tight ponytail. It felt dry and messy, and _that_ terrified her more than anything. She _never _let it get like that. Her hair was her pride and joy!

A cold ball of dread formed in her stomach. "Usagi, what's going on? Where am I? Why am I here? Where's Corey?"

Usagi's answer shattered that ball into a thousand pieces. "Who's Corey?"

"Corey!" Minako's hands slammed down on the table as she shot to her feet. "My boyfriend?! We met him a couple of months ago!"

All she got from Usagi in reply was a blank stare.

"Guardian Justice!" she snapped. "The big American guy with a heart of gold? Gorgeous eyes?" Her heart began to pound in her chest as the panic increased. "Stop me when you start remembering!"

"Minako…" Usagi refused to make eye contact. "Corey's not real."

A high-pitched laugh slipped from her lips. "Right! Next you'll try telling me the Revenant Knight is really just misunderstood."

Her friend shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "I mean it, Minako. Corey's not real. None of it is. The Revenant Knight, Terror, Wrath, Ruin…the Sailor Marauders." Usagi hesitated briefly. "They're all in your head. Corey too."

Minako sank back into her chair; the room suddenly seemed to be spinning around her. "That…that's not possible…" _I'm not crazy. _"I couldn't have just imagined it all…" _I'm _not _crazy!_

"Things have been peaceful since we defeated Galaxia," Usagi said quietly. "You weren't the same after I brought you back, though. You…had a lot of trouble adjusting." She swallowed awkwardly and reached across the table to take her hand. "You're not well, Minako…but-"

"No!" Fear had taken hold now; her heart pounded furiously in her chest. _I'm NOT crazy! I'm NOT I'm NOT I'm NOT! _She stared at Usagi with wide eyes, trying to process what she was hearing. _This is all a trick. It has to be. That's the only explanation that makes sense._ "You're lying!" Minako flung the table out of the way and tackled Usagi to the ground. She gripped her shoulders and leaned in close. "Who are you? Where's the real Usagi?! Why are you doing this to me?!"

Tears slid from Usagi's wide, fear-filled eyes as she struggled beneath her. "Please, Minako, you're hurting me! Just calm down! It's all going to be okay!"

"Where's Corey?!" Minako screamed. "I want him back! I want it all back! Let me out of here!" She screamed again as two large men in white scrubs pulled her off Usagi and pushed her to the floor. "I'm not crazy! I'm _not_!"

"I'm so sorry, Minako!" Usagi wailed, as she sobbed uncontrollably. "I'm sorry I can't help you!"

Something pricked her arm and the world began to spin around her. "No…I'm…_not _crazy…" It was as if her energy was suddenly gone. _Sedative_, she realised vaguely. _Drugging me. They're…drugging me._ Her arms flailed a final time, but they were already growing impossibly heavy. "I don't…believe you. I'm _not _crazy…"

"Just relax," a strangely familiar voice said from above. "You're going to get through this, Minako. You're going to get better."

She knew his voice. She'd heard it before…but her mind failed her as the world faded away. Her eyelids fluttered as a strange roaring sound filled her ears.

_Please_, _someone help. Usagi. Corey. Help me. I'm not…crazy…_

* * *

"Where…am I?" Usagi took a few tentative steps forward but navigation seemed all but impossible. She was surrounded by thick, black clouds; lightning flashed in the distance, casting her in red and purple light. Her arms came up to hug her elbows as the anxiety grew within her. Strange, disturbing sounds drifted out of the storm; cries for help, screams of pain and anguish…and sobbing.

The last thing she remembered was running. _Yes, _she thought, _I _was_ running…from Corey? But why? _Usagi jumped as another bolt of lightning arced across the sky in front of her. It was almost familiar; there was something about that blast…

…_the bolt arced down from the clouds above and she hurled herself forward, directly into its path…_

Usagi froze as she realised what had happened. The clouds, the sense of light-headedness…she was _inside _the Revenant Knight. _My plan worked, _she thought. _My body is lying in the street somewhere, and my _spirit _is here. _Her eyes narrowed as she peered into the darkness around her, barely able to make out shapes in the clouds. A skyscraper lifted from Tokyo itself, a fountain that belonged in the Moon Kingdom…even the administration building from her university – the world around her was made up of different pieces of her life. Pieces that had no business coexisting.

_What am I seeing_, she wondered. _Why are all of these things here?_

"A foolish move, Princess." A face formed in the cloud before her, that of a man in his mid-thirties with severe, almost cruel features. "I am…disappointed. You would deliver yourself into my hands so easily?"

She swallowed, immediately realising how silly that was. _My spirit has been taken within him…which means everything I'm seeing is just my mind's way of making sense of where I am! _Usagi was a little annoyed that nobody else was here to witness her deduction. _That'd convince everyone I'm not as dumb as they think I am._

Lightning flashed in the clouds around her as he spoke again, illuminating his visage with an eerie glow. "Just what did you hope to accomplish with this little endeavour?"

"You're nervous." She could hear it in his voice…and _that _gave her a little more confidence. It was all part of her plan from the beginning; ever since he'd taken Minako and Rei.

"Nonsense. You are dead, _Usagi_. If anyone should be nervous it is-"

"But I'm not _really _dead…am I?" Usagi actually took a step towards him, smirking as his face recoiled. "Your blast may have separated my spirit from my body, but the Silver Crystal came with me. Didn't it?"

The Revenant Knight remained silent, but she could see the barely contained rage on his 'face'.

"It came with me because you _can't _take it from me. It's my Star Seed…and it isn't so easily stolen away. You're not Galaxia; you don't have that ability!"

There was a distinct air of irritation in his voice now. "I will-"

"You know what I think?" she continued. "I think you didn't want me in here. I think if you found it all so easy you would have just taken my essence back on the street. But you didn't! You taunted me instead, and took my friends. But that was a mistake, because it only spurred me on to follow them here and save them!"

He laughed; it was just as cold and mocking as it was in the real world. "You can try…but they are mine now!"

"We'll see." Usagi raised her hands and the Silver Crystal appeared between them, shining brilliantly. "Now, if you're not going to try and hurt me…just leave me alone!"

He roared wordlessly in frustration and faded away, leaving her alone amongst the clouds. Her first question was simple. _How do I find the others? It's not like I have GPS in here._ She allowed the Silver Crystal to fade again and peered into the darkness before her. It was difficult to make anything out, but the cloud lifted now and then to reveal more buildings in the distance. Usagi caught sight of a familiar wooden structure. _The shrine's gate, _she thought excitedly. _Could it be that simple? Could Rei be waiting for me there? _

She took a step forward and stopped in surprise as her boots clicked on a cobblestone path. _I'm sure that wasn't there a moment ago. _Despite its sudden appearance it certainly seemed solid enough; it wasn't clear _why _right now, but Usagi felt drawn to it…and she had nothing to trust in this place _but _her instincts. Right now, those instincts were telling her to follow the path to the shrine. But would she find Rei or not?

Usagi let out a gentle sigh and took another step forward. "There's only one way to find out…"

* * *

"Hello?" Rei called out into the darkness again…but there was no reply. There was never any reply. If there was anyone else here with her they were doing an excellent job of remaining hidden. Not that there was anywhere to hide, anyway. There was only one possible way for Rei to describe her surroundings. Nothingness; a complete absence of _anything_.

"Can anyone hear me?" Her voice echoed on incessantly in the darkness. That proved this place had some type of form…even if there was no substance to be found. Rei took a few experimental steps forward and found she could walk, albeit with no idea where she was going. _Where the hell am I, _she wondered. _What is this place? _She was becoming more frustrated by the second. _The last thing I remember is pushing Makoto out of harm's way. Then, everything went black…and I was here._

Only that wasn't strictly true. Rei remembered one other detail; one she would rather _not _remember if she could help it.

…_she was surrounded by a thick, black, suffocating cloud. It wrapped around her tightly, squeezing the very air from her lungs. There was a blinding flash of light…and everything went black…_

The icy hand of fear gripped her heart and began to squeeze. What had happened to her? Had the Revenant Knight taken her prisoner, or…?

"To answer your question…you're dead, Rei."

She whirled about, just about jumping out of her skin at the familiar voice. "Grandpa?"

The squat old man took several slow steps towards her and clasped his hands behind his back. "I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news…but you must have suspected what this was."

Rei felt her eyes narrow as she realised how improbable his presence here was. "You're not real. You can't be!"

"Perhaps," he agreed. "Perhaps not. Regardless, Rei, _you_ summoned me here whether you believe I am who I appear to be or not. You sought a comforting presence. Someone familiar. So, here I am."

Knowing he might not be real did nothing to assuage her fears. _I can't be dead. The afterlife isn't like this! I'm supposed to be united with my ancestors. What's happening?!_

"You already know the truth, Rei. You just can't bring yourself to accept it…so you conjured me up to help you deal with the transition."

"No," she murmured. "That's not possible. I did everything possible to live a good life. I'm supposed to carry on to watch over my family and friends…"

"Ah, yes. Shinto." Her grandfather shrugged almost casually. "It turns out you had it wrong all along. There is no afterlife, Rei, only the lingering remnant of consciousness before you slip into the void." He paused thoughtfully. "Think of it as the last few embers of a flame dancing on the wind…before it is extinguished forever."

"I don't believe you!" Rei put on a brave face but in truth she was terrified by the notion. The very idea that there was _nothing _after death was an affront to her beliefs!

"Belief is not required," he said, with a shrug. "The unfortunate truth is your faith was misplaced. It was _wrong_. Everything you ever believed in was a fallacy, Rei. You've wasted your life pursuing a lie."

"I can't be dead!" she argued. "I'm breathing! I'm talking!" Her fingers pressed against her wrist and she smiled triumphantly. "Ha! I can feel my pulse! I knew this was all some sort of trick!"

He sighed heavily. "Oh, Rei. Who do you think you're talking to?"

"Certainly not my grandfather!"

"Of course not." She could have sworn he actually rolled his eyes...in a _very _familiar way. "Think back over what I've told you and you'll realise I could only ever have been one person."

_If what he says is true, _she thought, _I'm lying dead in the street. The Revenant Knight enveloped me. He killed me. This darkness…I'm trapped inside my own dying mind. Meaning he's…_

"That's right." His features began to shift as he spoke, his flesh twisting and stretching as he grew taller. Thinner. "This is all taking place in your mind. A diversion as the final spark of your life fades away."

Rei couldn't bring herself to answer. She was too shaken. _It's true, isn't it? I'm dead…and there is nothing for me but a slow fade to black? I don't want to just disappear into nothingness. I have to live. I have to watch over Grandpa. The shrine…_

"Look at you." Her companion was no longer her grandfather; it was _her_. Sailor Mars. "You were practically raised by Grandpa. You grew to love the shrine…and Shinto. You dedicated your life to it." She smiled sadly as she spread her arms apart. "But it's all a lie, Rei. There is _nothing _after death but the long march into darkness. You've seen it before when Galaxia killed you…you've just forgotten."

The darkness seemed to close in around her. Somehow, despite a complete lack of _anything _around her it felt as if invisible walls had sprung up, boxing her in. A terrible cold swept over her. Was this how it all ended? Was this death, come to finally take her?

Mars cringed as she studied the darkness around them. "It looks like you don't have much time left."

"I…" Rei felt a tear slide down her cheek…followed by more. "I don't want it to end like this..."

"I know," Mars whispered, as she leaned in to embrace her. "I know you don't." Her lips came to rest bare inches from her ear, her breath hot on Rei's skin. "And it doesn't have to."

Just like that, a faint glimmer of hope appeared. "What? What do you mean?"

A smile slowly spread across Mars' face. "I can save you."

"You can? How?"

Her doppelganger took a single step back and held out her hand. "You just have to _want_ me to save you, Rei. You just have to want to live."

Rei took a step back, suddenly wary. There was something familiar in Mars' voice; a smug, arrogant tone she was sure she'd heard before. _Ruby eyes. Claws. That mocking laugh…_

"You can live on, Rei. With me. You don't have to fade away." Mars stepped forward, matching her movements. "You just have to _want _to live. You just have to _follow_ me…"

The miko took another step back…right into something solid. She turned to see the familiar torii of the Hikawa Shrine. "The transition from the profane to the sacred…" It hadn't been there a second before. _It has to be a sign, _she realised. _I'm moving _into_ the sacred. _Away _from the profane!_

Her double took another step closer, her smile now decidedly unsettling. "Follow me, Rei, and I will save you."

Rei shook her head emphatically. She knew exactly who 'Mars' was now; it was the only answer that made any sense. "No. You're no part of me!"

The smile twisted, somehow growing colder. Crueller. "Whatever do you mean? I just want to help you, Rei…"

She glanced around frantically for an escape, but save for the torii there was still nothing else to be found. "I know who you really are!" A strange haze began filling the air around her, as if it were seeping into their space from somewhere else. "I want no part of any_ deal_ you're offering!"

"So be it." Her doppelganger shattered…along with the darkness around her. Rei blinked, finding her eyes sensitive to the sudden change in lighting. She stood in the shrine's courtyard, but the buildings were nothing but burnt out ruins; black clouds filled the air around her. The Revenant Knight drifted before her, his clawed hand still outstretched towards her. "You are a fool, Rei. Your world is going to fall, and I would have given you everything your heart desired!" His eyes flashed angrily. "Instead, I will devour you!"

"Like hell you will!" she snapped. "If it's that easy then why haven't you done it already?" She took a step towards him, daring him to act. "No…you're playing this sick game for a reason. You can't force me into anything, can you? You needed me broken. You _needed _me to accept your offer!"

"I need _nothing _from you!" He lunged forward with his clawed fingers extended; a roar of sheer, unbridled pain and rage followed as he was struck by a blinding white light and obliterated in an instant.

"Rei!"

The miko squinted into the light…and saw Usagi running towards her. "Usagi?!"

The blonde practically tackled her as she wrapped her in a tight hug. "Rei! I'm so glad I was able to find you!"

Rei hugged her back without a moment's hesitation. "Usagi…" A tear slid down her cheek as she realised what this meant. "Gods...he killed you too?!"

"Uh…sort of," Usagi replied, as she finally released her. "I came to find you."

Usagi's dodge of her question didn't go unnoticed. "So you're saying the Revenant Knight _didn't _kill you?"

The blonde began fidgeting nervously, pressing her fingertips together as she stared at the ground. "Well…he _did_, but…I maybe, kinda-sorta…jumped into one of his blasts so I could follow you in."

_Stupid, stupid Odango_, she thought furiously. "What the hell convinced you that was a good idea?!"

Usagi's face fell, the complete opposite of the anger Rei had expected. "How was I supposed to just leave you to die, Rei? I couldn't do it. Not again."

"I should be mad at you," Rei muttered, as her anger melted away. "But I'm just so happy to see you that I can't seem to manage it."

Usagi smiled faintly, before turning her gaze on the ruins around them. "What happened here?"

"I don't know," she replied, with a shrug. "I appeared here just before you ran up. He..." Rei cleared her throat and tried again. "The Revenant Knight was keeping me somewhere else until then. It was just…a dark, empty void." Her words almost stuck in her throat as she relived his illusion. "He tried to convince me my faith was misplaced. That the shrine and Shinto itself were a waste." She let out a quiet sigh as she turned away, studying the broken recreation of her home. "I think he was trying to break me…and recruit me the same way he recruited the Sailor Marauders."

The blonde remained silent, but her grim expression revealed her disgust.

"Anyway…he failed. That's all that matters." Rei clapped her hands together abruptly; she'd dwelled on his machinations for far too long already. "So…I'm hoping you have a brilliant plan for getting us out of here."

"Uh…" The hesitation was plain on her face. "We…can't leave yet. He took Minako, Mamoru and Chibiusa too. I have to find them."

Rei felt her fingers clenching into a tight fist. "The Revenant Knight has a lot to answer for!"

"And he _will_ answer for his crimes," Usagi agreed. "But only after we've rescued the others."

Lightning skittered across the clouds overheard, a combination of red and purple arcs that Rei would have found beautiful…if they weren't signs of their enemy's power. "What am I seeing here?" There were strange objects scattered about in the distance, hiding behind the cloud. _Bits of Shinto shrines, Moon Kingdom architecture…and I think that's another version of _my _shrine! _"This makes absolutely zero sense!"

"My guess is we're inside _his _consciousness," Usagi said, "and all of this is our minds doing their best to make sense of it all."

Rei was quietly impressed. "Not bad, Odango. That's the smartest thing I've heard you say in a long time!"

"Gee, thanks…" Her friend's playful retort was a welcome comfort; a reminder of happier times. "See any signs of the others?"

"Hmm…" She peered into the cloud…and after several seconds spotted something that was quite out of place, even in here. "You said he had Minako too, right?"

"Yeah. Do you see her?"

"Not exactly." Rei gestured at a tower in the distance. "But see that? It's called Big Ben."

"The clock in London?" Usagi asked, as her eyes widened in understanding. "Minako loves England!"

"It's definitely worth a look."

"I just hope this turns out better than my last lead," Usagi grumbled. "I was sure I'd found Minako a little earlier. A girl with blonde hair wandering around in the clouds. I called out to her but she obviously couldn't hear me through the storm, so I followed her." She went quiet. "Come to think of it…she led me right to you."

Rei glanced about again but there was no sign of anyone else. "That's a little creepy."

"You said it." Usagi glanced down and stepped onto an oddly-placed cobblestone path. "Still…it can't be helped. I'm gonna guess that won't be the last creepy thing we see in here. Come on."

Rei followed along behind her, feeling her own anger rising. "All I know is that smug bastard's gonna be sorry he ever messed with me!"

* * *

"Minako? Minako, can you hear me?"

She groaned quietly as she struggled back to consciousness, blinking rapidly in the sudden light. Her eyelids felt so heavy; where was she? "…Usagi?"

"She's alright, but we had to send her home for the moment. Your little episode terrified her."

Her vision cleared slowly. A middle-aged man in glasses and a lab coat stood over her. His name was on the tip of her tongue. She remembered him…

…_the politician stared out at her sombrely from the television screen. "The police and defence forces have rules that govern them; procedures they must follow, checks and balances they are held accountable too. Who do the Sailor Senshi answer to…"_

"Do you remember me, Minako? Can you tell me my name?"

_The Revenant Knight, _she thought…but that didn't seem right. _No, that's not it. I'm getting confused again. _She ran her tongue over her dry lips and nodded faintly. "You're…Doctor Hayashida. You've been treating me for nearly two years."

He smiled. "Excellent. The antipsychotics must be working. Can you tell me where you are?"

Minako tried to sit up but found herself strapped to the bed. That could mean only one thing. "The hospital?" She immediately frowned; that wasn't quite right either. "The institute." How could she forget? This was her second…no, _third _stay.

"Right again." He flipped through her chart and hummed thoughtfully. "You were brought in almost a week ago now suffering from severe hallucinations…a complete disconnect from reality. I thought we were making progress, but it looks like you drifted back into the delusion again."

_You're not crazy…_

That was odd. A voice…but not quite hers. The doctor didn't react, either…which meant it was all in her head.

_Listen to me very carefully. You're not crazy…_

_Shut up! _She closed her eyes as she tried to block it out. "Did…did I hurt anyone?"

"No." He hesitated a moment. "Not seriously, anyway. You were convinced you were a Sailor Senshi, fighting monsters that were attacking the city." He chuckled quietly. "I was the big bad guy behind it all. The Revenant Knight, I think you called me."

At least she hadn't revealed her identity, but that was little comfort. A hot tear slid down her cheek, followed by another as Minako began to accept the truth. _My greatest fear has come to life_. It felt like her chest was being crushed under the weight of her anxiety. _It finally happened. I've lost my mind completely._

"It's all going to be alright, Minako," Hayashida said, as he patted her shoulder gently. "Yes, you're not well at the moment, but coming to terms with your condition is the first step towards recovery. You want to get better, don't you?"

_Don't trust him! He's a liar!_

She sniffled and nodded, ignoring the voice again. "Yes. Yes, of course I do."

_Stop ignoring me! You're _not _crazy! Just believe in yourself!_

The doctor knelt beside the bed and smiled. "Alright. If you really want to get better? All you need to do…is follow me. Can you do that, Minako? Just agree that you will follow me…"

* * *

"We're almost there!" Rei called, struggling against the sudden winds that had sprung up. Particles of ash stung her skin as she continued forward. Big Ben was close, now…an imposing tower hanging over them in the darkness.

When Usagi made no reply, she turned and found her friend staring out into the cloud behind them.

"Usagi?" She backtracked and shook her friend by the shoulder. "What's wrong?! We're so close!"

"Look!" Usagi pointed out into the storm, at a distant shape.

Rei squinted as the storm picked up around them. What was it? A person? The cloud thinned for just a moment and she caught a flash of blonde hair…and a wave? "What the hell?"

Usagi tugged on her arm. "It's Minako! Come on!"

"Wait, Usagi!" She stared into the storm again, but the figure was gone again. "How can you be so sure it's her? What if it's a trap?!"

The blonde concentrated…and the Silver Crystal shimmered faintly, illuminating a new path at their feet. It led into the storm...in the direction the mystery figure had indicated. "The crystal agrees. So let's go!"

"Hold on a minute!" Rei snapped. "You said you saw a blonde girl before. She led you to me, right?"

"Right," Usagi agreed. "I thought I was following Minako."

"So who's _that_ if we're following _her_ to Minako?"

"Oh." She paused a moment, then shrugged. "It doesn't matter. We'll just have to be a little more careful."

Rei rolled her eyes as she followed Usagi on their new path. _I have a bad feeling about this._

* * *

"You can do that, can't you? Follow me. Follow my directions…forever."

Minako hesitated. Something seemed wrong here…but he was her doctor. _He's been looking after me ever since my diagnosis. It's not such an odd request, right? I _should_ follow his instructions. It will help me get better. Then I can leave this place. I can see my friends again. My family. Artemis. Maybe even…Corey? _That was odd. Corey wasn't real…and she _knew _that. Didn't she?

…_she snuggled against his warm skin and sighed contentedly. "I love you…"_

_His emerald eyes stared back into her own as he smiled. "I love you too, Minako...and I always will…"_

Minako's eyes filled with tears again as she remembered the man she loved. Everything. The first time they met. Their first real talk at the shrine. Her flirtations. Their 'ikindasortalikeyou' moment. Their awful first date. Their first kiss. Their first night together. _My life is so much better with Corey in it. How can all of that be a delusion?!_

_Yes, _the voice whispered. _That's it. If you won't believe in yourself, then don't. It'll hardly be the first time! _It was becoming more familiar…and Minako finally realised it was _her _voice. _But Corey would never give up on you…so don't you dare give up on him now!_

…_a flash of green eyes. A cocky grin…_

…_I love you, Minako…and I always will…_

She'd _heard _it before – in the _real _world. She knew she had! "…Corey?"

The barest hint of a frown formed on Hayashida's face. "Minako, you have to focus. If we're going to make you better then you _must _agree to follow me."

It was an order now, not a request…and certainly not an offer of help from a doctor to his patient. It was all starting to come back to her. The Prime Minister's Residence. Pride's death. Running through the streets. Why where they running? _Because the Revenant Knight was chasing us! _Her eyes locked on the 'doctor' above her. _He was chasing us! _

"Minako." There was a distinct coldness in his voice now. "Listen to me-"

She ignored him. Usagi. They had to get Usagi to safety. Buy enough time for her and Corey to do…it wouldn't come to her. _What were they trying to do? _Another image flashed into her mind. _He...he grabbed my wrist…reached inside my chest! He…oh, god, he _killed _me and then…I woke up here! This _is _all a trick!_

"You're no doctor…and I'm _not _crazy!" Minako struggled against her restraints as his name finally came to her. "You're…_Jerkface_!"

_Minako! _It was a different voice now. But still familiar…

_Usagi? _She looked around in confusion. "Usagi?! Usagi, I'm here!"

'Doctor Hayashida' growled in frustration as his face split apart and crumbled away, revealing a pair of gleaming red eyes. Lightning flared outside the window as cracks developed in the walls and a thick, black smoke began to seep in. "Damn you! I was so close!"

The hospital room shattered around them, revealing a nightmarish version of itself. The bed beneath her was a burned, rusted mess, and the walls had long since crumbled into ruin. Black cloud swirled in the sky above her, lit with occasional flashes of red and purple lightning.

"It always comes back to the Guardian Knight!" he snarled. "It was the same for him too; everything always led him back to _you_!"

She glared up at him defiantly. "I love him, and I will _never _give up on him! Even if Corey _was _a delusion then I'd want to stay insane…because _that's _the world I want to live in!"

"You will not be living in _any _world when I am done with you!" He raised his clawed hand and flexed his fingers, preparing to strike.

"Get away from her!"

Her voice was audible this time. Minako turned her head and smiled. "Usagi! Rei!"

Usagi raised her hands, the Silver Crystal suspended between them. "You can't have her!" A brilliant blast of light struck the Revenant Knight and he was torn apart, disappearing in a cloud of ash. Usagi immediately ran over and extended her hand. "We were so worried about you, Minako!"

Minako let her help her to her feet, and wrapped her up in a tight hug. "Usagi! I've never been happier to see you in my life!" Rei cleared her throat, and she blushed. "Oh, and of course you too, Rei."

The miko winked. "It's good to see you again, airhead."

Lightning flashed as a booming voice rumbled down from above. "Enjoy your meaningless little victory, Princess…because you will _never _find the others!"

Minako began to pull away from Usagi, suddenly uncomfortable. _I came so close to believing his lies. That fear that I'll lose my mind one day is still there, too…somewhere deep inside._

"Minako?"

She snapped out of her reverie and forced a smile; hiding her true feelings was something that she'd gotten used to. "Yeah?"

"Rei said the Revenant Knight was trying to use her fears against her…to convert her to his side, like the Marauders." Usagi peered at her curiously. "What was happening to you when we found you?"

Minako hesitated. _I hid things from her once, and that didn't work out so well in the end. _With that in mind, she settled on the honest approach. "I'm…not really ready to talk about it, Usagi. Let's just say it was unpleasant and leave it at that."

She clearly wasn't happy with that answer, but she nodded anyway. "Alright. When you _are _ready…"

"I know where to find you."

Rei cleared her throat. "I don't mean to interrupt, but what's our next step? Mamoru or Chibiusa?"

"Actually…" Usagi summoned the Silver Crystal again. "Maybe I should send you two back. There's no reason we should all risk our lives..."

"What?!" Rei snapped.

Minako was confused. "I'm still not even sure what's going on here."

"Mamoru and Chibiusa were taken, just like us." Rei folded her arms across her chest as she stared back at Usagi. "We're _inside _the Revenant Knight. All of this around us…it's a representation of him and our own unconscious minds."

"Oh." That explained a lot. Sort of.

"Usagi found me, then we found you…and now she wants us to just leave her here on her own!"

Minako shook her head quickly. "That's not gonna happen, Usagi."

"But-"

"Usagi, you saved me from a fate worse than death!" She smiled at her faintly. "You're my friend. Let me help you now…the way you helped me. Let's go save Mamoru and Chibiusa. Together."

Usagi sighed and turned to Rei; the miko met her stare head on. "Face it, Usagi. You're only going to encounter even more resistance from here on out." She winked. "Besides, just _try _and send me back, Odango."

She hesitated a moment before finally smiling back at them. "Alright. Let's do it."

Rei nodded gently as she turned and peered into the cloud. "I don't see anything that looks familiar this time. Not anything linked to Mamoru or Chibiusa, at least."

"I know where to find them…"

Minako froze. _That voice! I'd recognise it anywhere, but…she's dead! _ Rei and Usagi had stiffened up and were staring warily at someone behind her. Minako forced herself to turn around…and felt her blood run cold. "Oh, no…"

Sailor Fury flashed her a faint smile. "Hello, sweetie. You look like you've seen a ghost."

* * *

AN: It may be a cliffhanger AGAIN but I consider the last two chapters or so one big UBER chapter - I have to divide them somewhere! I am anticipating rage (from some of you more than others!) but I hope your continued reviews at least mean you're still enjoying yourself despite wanting to kill me ;-)

This one was heaps of fun to write. It let me shine the spotlight on Rei and Minako one last time before the end _and _it sets up the final encounter with the Revenant Knight. Plus, Sailor Fury! It helped that I'd already written a decent chunk of this one and then postponed it to focus on the remaining Senshi in the real world to build a little suspense. Hopefully I can get the next part out in less than a week - I do have most of what I want to cover noted down, so fingers crossed.

Anyway, with any luck you enjoyed reading this one as much as I enjoyed writing it. Feel free as always to let me know what you thought, even if you hated the cliffhanger, lol. Back with more soon!


	31. Escaping the Nightmare: Part One

AN: Part One of a two-parter. No wait for the second part, just continue on when you're done!

* * *

"Fury?!" A terrified Minako was caught completely off-guard. "Venus Love Me Chain!" She flicked her wrist out instinctively but was dismayed to find that nothing happened.

Rather than getting angry, Fury seemed almost embarrassed for her. "Sorry, V, but that won't work here. The only one of you with any power in this place is Moonbeam…and even that doesn't make a lick of sense!"

"Says the crazy woman," Rei muttered.

Usagi's response was a little more measured; she ignored her new nickname completely, too. "What do you want, Fury?"

"Was I not clear a moment ago?" The Marauder reached up to scratch her head. "Or did I imagine that whole conversation?"

Minako remained silent, but her heart felt like it was going jump right out of her chest. _I thought I was done with her. I thought it was over!_

Fury struck an odd pose and grinned. "Regardless, I'm offering to lead you to your friends."

"Right," Rei scoffed, as she rolled her eyes. "Why would you want to help us?"

"Oh, that hurts!" Fury said, with a brooding pout. "I've been helping you since you got here!"

Minako watched as Usagi moved slowly to her right…coming to stand between her and Fury. _That's supposed to be my job, _she thought. _Protecting Usagi from harm. _

Her twin ponytails fluttered in the imaginary wind as her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What do you mean by that?"

"Oh, come off it, Princess Peach. If not for my help you'd still be wandering around in the storm…and these two would be Marauders." She giggled unexpectedly. "Or tasty treats for the Revenant Ass…"

_Revenant Ass, _Minako thought, surprised by the jibe. _I guess there's not much love lost between her and Jerkface then._

"Oh..." Usagi glanced at her and Rei quickly, a look of comprehension on her face. "The blonde girl in the clouds. That was you?!"

"Guilty!" Fury cooed, as she applauded – apparently for herself. "I couldn't let you just wander right into that trap at Big Fat Fake Ben. Things would have gotten _so _messy for you inside!"

Minako had heard enough. "You didn't answer Rei's question. Why would you want to help us?" All the pain and torment Fury had inflicted on her meant one thing; she didn't trust the Marauder at all. _Her sudden appearance is far too convenient. What does she really want?_

Fury's pout returned, proof her trademark mood swings were still in effect. "Well, geez, I did a lot of terrible things to you, V…all for no reason as it turns out. Maybe I just feel like I need to balance the scales and win back a little karma?" She sniffled dramatically. "Besides, I really did like you a lot, you know…back when I was alive."

Minako shook her head as she folded her arms across her chest. "I don't believe you."

"Well, sweetie, that's your prerogative…" Her voice took on a decidedly hard edge. "Of course, you'll never find the rest of your little gang without my help. I know exactly where they are _and _how to get to them. Can you say the same?"

Rei also shook her head. "I don't trust her, Usagi. She could be planning to lead us straight into a trap!"

Fury yawned and tapped the hilt of her katana. "If I wanted to kill you, I would have just done it already. I don't exactly have the patience for games, Little Miss Shrine Maiden. Remember?"

Minako cringed; it killed her to do so, but she had to agree. "Fury's MO has never been all that restrained, Rei. I can't believe I'm saying this, but…she has a point."

The Marauder was entirely too cheery for her liking. "Exactly!"

Usagi studied Fury intently for several seconds, and finally let out a heavy sigh. "We don't seem to have many other options. She's right; we wouldn't have found Minako without her help." She was clearly unhappy about it, but she nodded anyway. "Alright, Fury…show us the way to Mamoru and Chibiusa."

"Yay!" Fury let out an excited little squeal as she clapped. "Isn't this grand? You and me, V, together just the way we were meant to be!" Her eyes widened as she squealed again. "Oooh, I made a little rhyme!"

Minako shot Usagi a dirty look and received a helpless shrug for her trouble. Her meaning was clear. _Usagi knows this is a bad idea just as well as I do, but it's worth the risk if it gets us to Mamoru and Chibiusa._ She stared warily at the cheering Marauder and sighed. _She hasn't tried to kill me yet. Maybe I actually got through to her in the end. I can only hope, because there's no way I'm bringing up her boyfriend myself!_

"Fury?" Rei cleared her throat loudly, but still got no reply. "Hey!" She finally resorted to a piercing whistle that had them all covering their ears.

Fury winced as she rubbed her ears. "What?"

"You said you could take us to the others."

There was still no sign of comprehension. "Uh-huh?"

Rei let out an exasperated sigh as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "So let's go!"

Minako was shocked to see Fury actually _blush_. "Oh, right! It's…uh…" She turned left, then right, and finally back to the left again. "Hmm…I was sure it was…ah-ha!" Her finger raised triumphantly as she span on her heel…and headed back in the direction she'd come from. "This way!"

_I take it all back_, Minako decided._ She's still a complete nutcase!_

Evidently Usagi agreed. "That little display isn't exactly filling me with confidence…" It didn't stop her from following Fury anyway, though.

"This isn't going to end well," Rei agreed, as she trudged after them.

Minako shook her head sadly and followed. _You can say that again, Rei._

* * *

She watched Fury carefully as they moved through the clouds. Usagi and Rei followed right behind the Marauder but Minako had fallen back, still not ready to talk about her ordeal. _That bastard took my deepest, darkest fear and used it to try and convert me to his side, _she thought. What frustrated her the most about it all was just how close she'd come to believing him. _I was so ready to believe I'd lost my mind,_ she thought miserably. _And now Fury - who's tormented me more than any of my other enemies – shows up all over again. I have the worst luck ever!_

Fury hummed quietly to herself as she skipped along ahead of them. Minako felt herself frown as she tried to name the tune. It was familiar; she just couldn't place it. _It's pop music…not Japanese though. It's definitely western. American, or British, maybe? _Her eyes widened as Fury repeated one of the main hooks. _Wait a minute! That's…Spice Up Your Life by the Spice Girls? _That blew her mind. _Fury likes the Spice Girls?! _The very idea was so bizarre that Minako couldn't help but laugh.

"Care to share the joke, girlfriend?"

"Gah!" She recoiled in fright as Fury suddenly popped up beside her. _The last time we were this close she stabbed me, _kissed_ me…and then literally twisted the knife!_

"I'm not going to hurt you," Fury said, with a pout. "I know the truth now, V. That's why I'm here. To make things right." She flashed a brilliant smile. "No stabbing, Sailor Scout's honour!"

_Sailor Scout? _Minako had no idea what that was…but it sounded silly. _And American. _She glared at her grumpily. "You're pretty easy-going considering what you've done to me already!"

"Well, being a sourpuss won't change anything, will it?" the Marauder retorted. "Besides, I said I was sorry-"

"What?!" Minako couldn't believe her ears. "No, you didn't!"

"Oh, sweetie…" Fury let out a melodious giggle. "I'm quite sure I did."

"No. You absolutely, one-hundred percent certainly did _not_!"

"Oh." Fury shrugged casually. "Are you sure?"

Minako nearly lost it. "Yes!"

"Oh…okay."

Minako gestured expectantly after several more seconds of silence. "Well?!"

The blonde Marauder frowned in confusion. "Well, what?"

"You were going to apologise!"

Fury blinked twice in rapid succession. "I was?"

Minako practically growled in frustration but before she could reply Fury held up a hand.

"We're here!"

"Where is here?" Rei asked, as she looked around in confusion. "I can't see a thing through this cloud!"

Fury stepped forward and pointed, almost bored. "Down there."

Minako approached her carefully and peered into the haze. The ground - or whatever it was they were standing on – fell away sharply to reveal a large stone structure below them. She could make out towers and battlements, which meant only one thing. "A castle?"

"Not just any castle," Usagi said breathlessly. "Castle Terra of Elysion, capital of the Golden Kingdom of Earth. I remember seeing it a few times…when I was Serenity."

Rei's brow furrowed deeply as she stared down at the massive structure. "Endymion's former home? Isn't that a little convenient?"

"No more convenient than finding you at a recreation of the shrine," Usagi said, with a shrug. "If this is all linked to our subconscious then we could be building everything we see from our memories."

"Huh," Minako murmured, mildly surprised. "That actually makes sense. Good for you, Usagi."

Usagi shot her a dirty look. "I can be smart sometimes!" She locked her eyes on the castle and started down the slope. "Anyway, let's go get-"

"Look out!" Rei shouted out a warning as Fury dashed ahead to block the blonde's path. "If you hurt her, Fury, I-"

"You can't just waltz in there however you please!" the Marauder snapped. "I mean, seriously, how the heck you managed to defeat Ruin while being _this _stupid I'll never know!"

"Hey, I-"

"Smoky's expecting you! There may not be any Constructs in this place, but if I'm hanging around you can bet the rest of the Marauders are too!" She began ticking them off on her fingers as she named them. "There's the PMS Queen herself, plus Amazon, Little Miss Mopey, and the Albino Knife Freak."

"The PMS Queen?" Rei repeated slowly.

Minako blinked in confusion. "I'm still stuck on Smoky."

The miko shrugged. "It's no dumber than Jerkface."

"Hey!"

Usagi looked Fury up and down, as she tried to decide if she was _completely _insane. "So…they're _not_ your friends, then?"

"Well, of course not, sweetie," she replied, matter-of-factly. "They're all bitches." Fury paused to tap her cheek thoughtfully. "Except Despair, of course; she's just frightfully depressing. Still…she bakes a heck of a blueberry muffin." That was followed by another pause. "Or did I just make that part up?"

"Oh, god…" Usagi groaned as she started massaging her temples.

"That's one benefit of having Fury around," Rei murmured, as she leaned in beside Minako. "You're not the most mental person here anymore."

Minako forced a brief laugh, but the truth was Rei's little jibe hurt a lot more than normal after what she'd just gone through. _I know she doesn't mean anything by it, but I'm _not _crazy! The next person who says otherwise is going to get such a face smooshing! _That gave her pause, though. _I hope _that's_ not crazy. Oh, god, do I have to smoosh my own face now? Crap, I can't stop! I've gone off on a tangent in my own head! _She realised everyone had continued talking while she was lost in thought, and tried to catch up.

Usagi was mid-sentence. "…of sneaking in? If we're roaming around _inside _his mind, or whatever this place is…doesn't he know we're here anyway?"

"Oh, god, you're so…_dense_!" Fury groaned, as she turned to Minako. "Is she always this dense?!"

"Uhhh…"

Usagi gave her quite a frightening death-stare. "Don't you _dare _answer that, Minako!"

The erratic Marauder sighed; she suddenly seemed much more serious and focused. "This is all him, yes, but it isn't like he's consciously aware of every little thing that's going on."

Minako stared at her in disbelief. _She sounds like a teacher lecturing a kid who wasn't listening in class!_

"Do try to keep up, sweetie." Fury rolled her eyes at Usagi's blank look and shook her head. "He's eating an entire city. That's thousands and thousands of people he has to consume, if not millions by this point! Do you _really_ think he wants that sort of noise prattling on in his head? It's a little hard to explain, but…it's like he has us on mute."

One of Rei's eyebrows arched sharply. "_That _was hard to explain? Really?"

"Huh, I guess it wasn't so hard after all. Not like quadratic equations. _Those _are tricky-"

Usagi had started to get testy again. "I'm gonna need you to focus, Fury."

Minako cringed; even she was starting to wilt under that particular glare.

"Right, right. Just try and be quiet when we get in there." She hesitated briefly. "You've destroyed two of Smoky's illusions now; he could be waiting for us."

Usagi looked over at Rei, then quickly to Minako. "What do you think?"

"I hate to agree with the nutcase, but sneaking in makes sense," Rei admitted. "Whether Fury's involved or not."

"I agree," Minako said, with a gentle nod. "Especially if there's even a chance the other Marauders could show up. I'm feeling a little vulnerable without any powers."

"Okay." Usagi turned to Fury and gestured towards the castle. "The stealthy approach it is. You go first."

* * *

The room was dark, but Mamoru recognised it like something out of a dream; the throne room of Castle Terra. This had been his home, once upon a time…even though he remembered little of his life here. But something was wrong. None of the torches were lit, and it was empty…except for _her_. He couldn't bring himself to look away, as much as he wanted to. Her twin ponytails lay in a steadily growing pool of blood. Her torn uniform, her tattered wings; her flawless skin was now marred by cuts and yet more blood. Usagi was dead. She was _always _dead in this place. It happened over and over again, right before his eyes, like a nightmare he couldn't wake from.

"It's not real," he murmured. "It's not real."

Mamoru repeated it like a mantra. He _had _done for so long that he'd lost all track of time. His love had been stabbed, burned, electrocuted, shot, hung, choked, and even torn limb from limb. All right before his eyes. He found her suicides most painful of all; they served as a bitter reminder of the end of their first life together.

_You've lost her forever. You've lost both of them…_

His teeth ground together in frustration. It was back; the shape. That same, black shape that drifted over him. Taunted him.

_You will never see her again. You will never see _either_ of them again…_

His fingers clenched slowly, forming a tight, trembling fist. "Shut up."

_She followed you even here…and she will _die _here. For you. Always for you… _

"Shut _up_."_ That's not true, _he told himself. _It can't be true. Usagi is stronger now. She would _never_ throw her life away like that!_

_How does it feel to know you have doomed the ones you love to death? How does it feel to know you have lost your family…again?_

Mamoru's eyes widened…

…_the tyres squealed, accompanied by the smell of burning rubber. A women screamed as the car tore through the barrier with an almighty crash…followed by a deafening silence as they fell…_

…_help me. Please, help me! I don't know who I am…_

"I said shut up!"

He lashed out at the shadow but once again found the room deserted…except for _her_. Her beautiful blue eyes stared into his own as she brought his sword up to her chest.

"Mamo-chan…"

He buried his head in his hands as he sank back into the corner; the room was silent save for the faint squelch of his blade sliding into her flesh. _Not again…_

"Usako…"

* * *

Fury tapped a finger against her cheek thoughtfully. "Well, unless the Arrogant Ass is going all out to trick you, I'd say your man's in here."

Usagi pressed against the door and listened. There was a faint 'Usako' from within, causing her heart to skip a beat. _Mamo-chan…I'm coming. _She locked eyes with Rei and the miko moved into position beside her. "On three."

"Ready," Rei agreed.

"One. Two…" Usagi took a deep breath, and willed away all traces of fear. "Three!" She pushed with all her strength and the door creaked open before her…revealing a familiar black gauntlet. It lashed out and seized her by the throat. _The Keeper! _

"Let her go!" Rei cried. She attempted to tackle the ashen creature but took a backhand across the face for her troubles. Fortunately for Usagi, the Silver Crystal reacted the same way it had to Wrath's grip and pulsed brilliantly; the creature was knocked to the ground, its ashen form clearly damaged. Unlike the previous Keepers, however, it had _not _been destroyed.

"Well, well…" The voice was _his_; the creature began to grow in size and mass, becoming more solid and intimidating almost immediately.

"That's no Keeper," Usagi whispered. "It's the Revenant Knight himself!"

He collapsed into his cloud form and soared across the floor towards Mamoru, swirling up and over his huddled body. "Your lady love has come for you at last. How shall I kill her this time?"

"Don't listen to him, Mamo-chan! The only one dying here is that evil creature!" She raised the Silver Crystal and unleashed a blast of light into the Revenant Knight's body.

Unfortunately, unlike his Keepers, it seemed to have little effect. "I have been expecting you, _Usagi_. I knew you would find your way here eventually." His ruby eyes turned to Fury; the Marauder stood by herself in the centre of the room. "You did well, Fury. Consider yourself redeemed."

"I knew it!" Rei snarled. "You miserable, lying _bitch_!"

"Oh, please," Fury said, with a dismissive wave. "I want to help you...I feel bad about what I did! Does _any _of that sound like me?!" She locked eyes with Minako and smiled. "I have but one goal, Senshi. The same goal I've always had; gutting my precious V."

Usagi watched as Minako paled and took a nervous step back. She couldn't blame her, either. _After all that, it turns out to be a trap. We knew this was coming, but it doesn't make me feel any better._

"Go ahead," he growled. "Her essence…is yours."

Fury let out a menacing giggle as she drew her katana and stepped around Minako in a lazy circle. "I knew another opportunity would present itself. I just had to bide my time…and wait for the perfect moment to strike."

Minako raised her hands defensively before her. "Fury, please! I thought you understood! You don't have to do this!"

"I understand just fine, sweetie," she cooed, "and I absolutely, one-hundred percent certainly _do _have to do..._this_!" She took another step to her right…and span impossibly quickly to sink her sword into the evil creature's face. He let out a furious roar and knocked her aside as he clutched at the blade lodged between his eyes. Fury looked up at Usagi woozily from the floor. "Well?! Don't just stand there, Moonbeam, hit him again!"

Usagi raised the Silver Crystal and closed her eyes. "Silver Moon Crystal Power!" This time, the blast tore into his cloudy form and then _through_ it, literally ripping him apart. Fury's sword dropped to the floor with a clang atop a small pile of dust.

She bent down to retrieve it and kicked the pile, scattering his dust all over the place with a maniacal cackle. "Ha! You didn't see _that _coming, did you, Smoky?! That's what you get for using me all this time you stupid, er…_cloud_!"

Usagi was focused on one person, though…and one person only. "Mamo-chan!" She rushed over to him and embraced him tightly.

"Usako," he whispered, tentatively reaching out to wrap his arms around her as if surprised she was real. "I thought I'd never see you again. You…came here for me?"

"Of course," she said softly, as she brushed her fingertips over his cheek. "How could I just leave you to die in this place? I love you more than anything in the world; I had to save you!"

He cupped her cheek gently and smiled up at her. "I love you too."

She answered him with a gentle kiss; all was right with the world for that moment as she felt his lips tease her own.

Rei's angry accusation brought her back to the moment. "He sent you after us?!" She pointed a trembling finger at their guide…who seemed entirely too nonchalant given what had just happened.

"He summoned me not long after you arrived," Fury admitted. "Told me he'd give me my life back if I lured you here. But once he told me V was here I _knew_ I had to try and help her. Leading you to her seemed like the easiest way to do that."

"But you did exactly what he wanted!" the miko snapped. "You _did _lure us here!"

"No, I didn't!" Fury retorted. "I was up front with you from the start! I even warned you he might be here!" She raised her chin into the air, affecting a snobby appearance. "Besides, we had to save Mr. Cliché whether it was a trap or not, didn't we?" His dirty look didn't appear to bother her at all. "So, in summary…I think you owe me an apology, Marzipan!"

Rei just stared at her, dumbfounded. "_Marzipan_?!"

Minako chose that moment to enter the conversation. "Look, Rei…if anyone should be suspicious of Fury's motivations, it's me. But she did her part…and I trust her."

"Yay!" Fury twirled abruptly on one foot, almost like a ballerina. "Can I friend request you now, bestie?"

"Let's…hold off for now," Minako managed.

Mamoru nudged Usagi gently. "Is she…alright?"

"Strangely enough, I think she really is." Usagi's patience _was _limited, however. "Hello, Fury?"

The Marauder glanced over at her cheerfully. "What's up, Sparkles?"

She just let it go; it seemed the easiest way of dealing with her. "Do you know where Chibiusa is?"

"The cute little pink-haired girl?" She frowned as she looked around the room. "Huh. That's funny. I was sure they got brought here as a matched set. Like earrings…or lingerie. Oooh-"

"Focus," Minako said softly.

"Roger that," Fury said, as she pouted. "Sorry. I really thought she was here."

Rei sighed in frustration. "So he's moved her."

Usagi turned to look out the window, and spotted something oddly familiar…and incredibly out of place. "Maybe not." Just below them was a long stone walkway; about halfway down its length, it merged with another made of solid crystal. She followed it back to a glittering crystalline spire in the distance.

"Is that the Crystal Palace?" Minako asked, stepping up to stand beside her.

"Part of it, at least," Usagi agreed.

Rei snorted derisively. "Now that _has _to be a trap!"

"Definitely," Mamoru said firmly. "It doesn't matter, though. If Chibiusa's in there, I'm going to get her."

Usagi smiled up at him. "And I'm going with you."

"Yes, yes, we're all going," Minako said impatiently. "Now stop making goo-goo eyes at each other. You're making me miss my cutie!"

* * *

AN: I was almost prepared to turn Fury again…and I just couldn't do it. Damn it if I haven't gotten attached to her. Somehow, throughout Act Two she changed from a one-note evil Minako clone into one of my favourite characters to write. I had no intention of making her sympathetic, but that's how her arc seemed to end – I just couldn't pull another Wrath and have her revert to evil. With that said…they're not out of the woods yet. Part Two should be up already and continues right along from here. Thanks for reading, everyone!


	32. Escaping the Nightmare: Part Two

It only took them a few minutes to cross the bridge and enter the Crystal Palace. Minako wandered after Usagi, lost in her thoughts again as she moved largely on auto-pilot. Fury pulled her out of her reverie a second later with a chilling confession.

"A little part of me still wants to kill you." It was almost matter-of-fact in its delivery.

Minako froze and glanced over her shoulder. "Really? I can't say I'm thrilled to hear that…"

"I won't actually do it, of course. I don't even know why I said that just now. I know you never did anything to hurt me…but there's still that little urge to kill you. Deep down inside." An oddly amused giggle slipped from her lips. "I really am messed up, huh? It's hilariously tragic. It's…tragicarious!"

"That's why you terrified me so much," Minako admitted, barely aware she even speaking. "Every single one of my friends has called me crazy at some point. I know they're joking…at least they think they are…but I really worry about it. A lot. When I first met you we were _so _alike, and I just…"

"You worried you could turn out like me."

"Yeah."

One of Fury's eyebrows rose sharply. "Have you ever been tempted to murder your boyfriend?"

Minako stared at her awkwardly. _That was a little blunt. _"No, I can't say that I have."

"Well," she replied, with a casual shrug, "if you ever find yourself in that position? Don't. That's the simplest way to avoid turning out like me." The Marauder stared at the floor for a moment before continuing. "That's what he showed you, isn't it? In your little prison."

She nodded slowly, feeling a chill work its way down her spine. "I almost believed him, too. I don't even want to think about what would have happened if I _had _given in."

"Well, sweetie, for what it's worth? I don't think you have it in you." Fury smiled sadly. "From what I remember of our final fight...you didn't even have what it took to kill _me_ without crying."

Minako smiled in return. That was actually comforting.

Fury surprised her by carrying on. "I woke up in this place after I died. The Arrogant Ass had a right bitch about my failure…and then he dumped me down here to rot." She seemed almost lucid right now. "I was sad at first. I had to deal with the newfound knowledge that _I _had killed my James with no real idea _why_. I didn't want to believe it, at first. It wasn't easy, accepting that the defining moment of my life had happened entirely in my own head." She laughed abruptly. "Still, that's one good thing about this place. You have plenty of time to think things over."

Minako was certain there was a meltdown coming. But it didn't happen. Not even a little.

"I blamed you, for a little while," Fury said quietly. "But once I knew you hadn't hurt me, I began to remember a different side of you. That amazing girl who saved me and James that night in the park." She smiled faintly. "The truth is, Minako…I really did _adore _you. You were just so cool. Stylish, gorgeous, and strong. You were everything I wished I could be."

Minako hesitated, but decided against pointing out that Fury was, in fact, quite pretty herself. _Damn it all. How am I supposed to stay mad at her after all that? I mean, sure, she tried to kill me a bunch of times…but she's a _fan_! _She cleared her throat quietly and raised a hand. "Look, Fury-"

"Maybe…you could try calling me Faye? I'm just so tired of being Fury. Fury was...she was a terrible mistake. One I regret every day."

Minako managed a faint smile in return. "Sure…Faye."

"Aww…" Fury cooed, back to manic in a heartbeat. "That's so weird…but darling all the same! I don't remember the last time anyone called me Faye, but I know it was a long time ago! It's so weird to hear it again. Faye. Rhymes with hay…tray…and bay…but otherwise has nothing to do with any of it." She scratched her head again and began muttering to herself.

Minako made out a few scrambled words but it was largely gibberish. _Well, _s_he held onto her sanity for as long as she could. Not a terrible effort._

Usagi raised her hand as she slowed to a halt. Something strange was going on here.

"Problem?" Minako whispered from behind her.

"Voices," she replied quietly, as she listened carefully to the space ahead of her. Sure enough, eerily familiar voices drifted towards them from the room ahead.

"What on earth were you thinking, Small Lady?!"

"We're very disappointed in you."

Minako looked up at Usagi in surprise. "That's you…and Mamoru."

He seemed irritated. "Not quite."

"Neo-Queen Serenity," Usagi agreed. "And Endymion. Her parents."

"Her fear is you two?" Rei asked, surprised.

Mamoru nodded slowly. "Think about it, Rei. She ran away from home. Having to face your parents after something like that would terrify any child."

"You deliberately disobeyed us!" That was Endymion again; he seemed to be the authoritarian in the relationship.

"You didn't think about the consequences of your actions, did you?"

"It's a little unsettling hearing myself like this," Usagi murmured, as she crept ever closer to the small doorway ahead. She peeked inside and spotted her future self, Endymion…and a sobbing Chibiusa. It broke her heart to see the girl in such a state. _No sign of the Revenant Knight or one of his Keepers. It doesn't mean he's not hiding in there somewhere…but I feel a lot better with him not there. _

Chibiusa stood before her parents - if you could call them that – with tear-stained cheeks, her lip quivering as they tore into her again and again.

_I would never treat her like that_, Usagi fumed. _Sure, we have our arguments but it _never _gets to this level. This is just…it's disgusting! _"Ready, Mamo-chan?"

"More than ready. Let's get in there!"

"You did this," Serenity said abruptly. "I want you to remember that. I followed you into that cloud, Small Lady…and I _died_!" She suddenly toppled backwards as crimson began seeping into her dress from an invisible wound.

The reaction from Chibiusa was understandable; she just about lost her mind. "Mama?! _Mama_?!"

_Keeper be damned, _Usagi decided. _Chibiusa needs me! _She rushed into the room and made a beeline for her future daughter. "Chibiusa! It's all a trick! Don't listen to them!"

"Do not interfere!" Endymion raised his hand and unleashed a bolt of lightning at her.

"Take your own advice!" She leapt right at him and planted her foot in his face, crumbling the skin and bone to reveal a vague, cloudy outline; the Keeper. "Silver Moon Crystal Power!" Usagi's attack lanced out and utterly destroyed the evil creature.

She gripped Chibiusa and pulled her close. "That will _never _happen, Chibiusa, I promise you!"

"I was so scared I'd never see you again," the girl whispered.

There was no time for further comfort; the roof was suddenly torn away above them to reveal a familiar sight. A blood red sky filled with a thick, black whirling vortex. A face formed in the cloud; the Revenant Knight.

Surprisingly, he addressed the Marauder in their midst first. "I am disappointed, Fury…even if you always were a calculated risk."

"You used me!" she snapped back. "You _knew_ V was innocent but you let me believe it anyway! You turned me into a weapon!"

"And what a weapon you were," he said, with a chuckle. "A tad unpredictable…but effective all the same. It will be a shame to lose you…but your betrayal cannot go unpunished." A quartet of shadows shimmered into existence in the centre of the room before them; the Sailor Marauders.

"Oh, hell," Rei murmured.

Usagi was forced to agree; her stomach lurched uncomfortably at the sight of them. They were all injured in some way, except for Despair. Pride's chest was a mass of gore, Crimson was still bleeding from a small, precise hole above her heart, and Pain was horribly burned all over. That didn't seem to bother the albino Marauder, though; she actually looked quite content. One rather large problem had to be addressed immediately; they were all carrying their weapons.

_Scythe, bow, daggers and gauntlet_, Usagi thought nervously. _Meanwhile, we have the Silver Crystal...and not much else._

"Their weapons aren't real, are they?" Minako murmured. "This is all in our heads, right? Some sort of…metaphysical state?"

Mamoru shook his head. "Not quite…but I'm impressed you even know that word."

"It's all in _his _head," Rei said, gesturing at the sky. "That means they're real enough."

Lightning flashed above them as the Revenant Knight smiled down cruelly. "Marauders. You may redeem yourselves here and now. Dispatch the Princess, her friends…and the traitor Fury."

"Love you too, Smoky," the blonde cooed, with an exaggerated wink.

"Silence!" A lightning blast tore into the ground where she had stood…but Fury was already moving. The incredible speed and agility she'd used against Minako and the other Senshi now had her diving on her fellow Marauders from above. She landed gracefully before them and immediately parried a quick strike from Pain with her katana.

Pride lunged at her with a wicked smile on her face. "I've been looking forward to this, Fury! You'll pay for your betrayal alright!"

"I'll _pay _you to shut up!" The blonde ducked under her scythe and lashed out impossibly quick with her katana, slicing into the redhead's side.

Usagi dodged under an arrow fired from Despair's bow; it seemed the depressed Marauder held a grudge after all, following her destruction back at the shrine.

"We can't stay here!" Rei shouted, as she dodged a blast from the clouds above. "Without powers we're going to get slaughtered!"

_We've got everyone back together_, Usagi thought quickly. _And I doubt we can defeat the Revenant Knight from in here!_

"Our best bet is to get back to the real world," Mamoru agreed. "We need to combine your powers with Corey's using the crystal! It's our only chance to destroy this monster once and for all!"

_Usagi!_

She looked about in confusion. "What? Who said that?"

"Now is not the time to space out, Odango!" Rei snapped. "None of us said anything!"

"But someone just called my name, I'm sure of it!"

_Come on, Usagi! We need you! Come back to us!_

"It's...Corey?!" She looked around in surprise. "I just heard Corey! He sounds like he's in trouble!"

Minako planted her foot in Crimson's face as the big Marauder went after her, and narrowly avoided her counterattack. "We need to get back, then! How do we do that?!"

Usagi summoned the Silver Crystal to her hands and studied it for a moment. "I have no idea…" _I'm not Sailor Moon right now. I can't call Starlight Honeymoon Therapy Kiss…I can't heal us!_

Fury suddenly flew past, intercepting Sailor Pride as she lunged for her. "Wake up, Moonbeam, and do something! You have to save your friends!" She screeched in pain as Despair hit her in the bicep with a glowing blue arrow.

"Faye!" Minako cried. "Hold on-"

"No!" she snapped. "You stay right there, V! Come near me and I swear I'll cut you!"

"But-"

"Go!" The Marauder span and kicked Pain in the face; the albino Marauder hit the ground with an oddly ecstatic shudder. "I belong here…but you don't! You have to get back to the real world. You have to end this. Save London…I do miss living there." She giggled again. "Yeah, that sounds nice!"

Minako glanced at Usagi pleadingly before turning back to Fury. "But you'll die!"

She smiled sadly as she moved on to Crimson. "Oh, sweetie. I've been dead for a long time." Crimson caught her in the side of the head with a heavy punch, prompting a manic cackle. "Hi, Amazon! How did that gaping chest wound work out for you?!"

Crimson slugged her again…and again. "Shut up and die, you crazy bitch!"

"Usagi!" Minako turned an imploring gaze on her. "We can't just leave her here!"

"Fury!" Usagi quickly dodged around two more blasts from above as she readied the crystal. "You _can _come with us!"

The blonde Marauder hit the floor hard as Crimson punched her again; her katana skittered along the crystal surface, just out of reach. "Just get out of here!"

Pride lunged at her again, and Usagi blasted her with pure, unrestrained crystal energy. The redhead screamed in pain as she hit the floor, her skin almost burning.

Minako took a step towards Fury. "We can help you! Please!"

She elbowed Crimson in the face and slid towards her katana, flipping back to her feet with apparent ease. "And where would I go? Where does a crazy girl like me fit in?" Fury shook her head sadly. "I'm right where I belong. With the rest of the villains." She flashed Minako a final smile. "Thanks, though, sweetie. You made me feel normal again…even if it was only for a little while. Teaming up was a lot of fun!" Her katana whirled through the air and took off Despair's hand en route to block Pride's scythe.

Rei grabbed hold of Minako and pulled her forcefully towards the group. "Come on! She's made her choice!"

"But-"

Usagi cringed as Fury was struck in the back of the head by Crimson…and knocked forward onto both of Pain's daggers at once.

"Faye!" Minako cried.

"Oh…you bitch…that tickles!" Her eyes locked on Minako as she grinned manically. "But…I was killed…by a _real _Sailor Senshi, girls. It'll take...a little more than that…to put me down!" She pulled Pain in closer and stabbed her katana through her neck, before whirling and tearing at Crimson's face. Usagi didn't see what happened…but Fury was suddenly holding an eyeball and laughing gleefully. "Finders keepers!"

The tall Marauder screamed in pain as she clutched at her bloody face and swung blindly, taking out a whimpering Sailor Despair in the process. Fury collapsed to the floor, clutching her new prize to her chest as she half cackled, half coughed, blood pooling around her.

The Revenant Knight's voice boomed down from above. "Even if you somehow escape me here, I _will _destroy your world! It is inevitable!"

More blasts rained down on them as everyone huddled together around her. Usagi raised the crystal high and a barrier sprang up over them.

"What do we do now?!" Rei asked, a rare tinge of fear slipping into her voice.

_Serenity…_

Usagi heard a woman's voice…in her mind.

_Focus on your friends. Your family. The people of your world. Think of them all, Serenity…and repeat after me. Silver Moon Crystal Healing Escalation…_

Usagi closed her eyes even as the Revenant Knight's blasts glanced off the crystal's aura over her head. _It sounds like my first ever healing power...but at this point I'll try anything._ _I need to be stronger. I need to be stronger than I've ever been before! He's destroying Tokyo. He's killing everyone. I need to bring my friends back. I need to bring _everyone _back! _She _felt _it; the power swept through her like never before. _My family. My friends. Everyone will die if I don't get back and stop him. _She raised the Silver Crystal above her head and focused one last time. _It's my birth right...my true power. Let's see what I can really do with it!_

She took a deep breath in…and exhaled slowly, letting out all her fear and worry along with it. _This will work. It _has _to work!_

_Silver Moon Crystal Healing Escalation, Serenity…use it now…_

"I don't know who you are," she murmured, "but I hope you're right. Silver…Moon…Crystal…"

"What are you doing?" the Revenant Knight growled. "Stop!"

"Healing…" The power seemed to grow exponentially within her body. She thrust the crystal into the air as she screamed, and unleashed it all at once. "Escalation!" An intense, blinding light exploded from her hands, obscuring everything. The Revenant Knight roared a final time in frustration and pain and then it all went black…

* * *

...and she sat up, coughing, as she stared at the sky. It was still there; blood red, black clouds, and flashes of lightning. Had the crystal failed to bring them back? _What went wrong, _she wondered. _And what do I do now? _

"Usagi?!"

Her head snapped down to see Corey, Mercury and Jupiter staring back at her with shocked faces. They were all bleeding to varying degrees, and Jupiter especially seemed frightfully pale, but they were alive. She'd never been happier to see them in her life. Unconscious people lay at their feet; there had to be dozens, if not hundreds all around them.

"You're alive!" Corey yelled, in disbelief. "You're all alive!"

"Ow…" Minako sat up beside her and immediately clutched at her head. "Why does my face hurt so much?!"

Mercury dropped to her knees beside her and hugged her tight. "I'm so sorry!"

"You're sorry?" Minako asked, confused. "Why? Did you do something to my face?!"

Mercury just hugged her again. "I'll explain some other time, Minako. I'm just glad you're not dead." She smiled up at the rest of them. "I'm glad you're _all _not dead!"

Uranus, Neptune, Saturn and Pluto all limped into sight. Usagi gasped; they looked as bad as the rest of her friends did.

"I'll be damned," Uranus said, with a wide grin. "You actually did it. You brought them back!"

"This is your handiwork too, then?" Neptune asked, gesturing at the unconscious people around them.

"My handiwork?" Usagi was very confused.

"They were Empty. Hundreds of them," Pluto said softly. "There was a sudden flash of light and they were all healed."

That was a pleasant surprise. _Silver Moon Crystal Healing Escalation, _she thought. _I'll have to keep that one in mind. _"I guess it _was _me..."

She rose to her feet with Mamoru's help and found herself face to face with Jupiter. The brunette immediately wrapped her in a tight embrace.

"_Never _scare us like that again," she said firmly. "You got that?"

Usagi smiled as they separated again. "Got it." There was no more time for heartfelt reunions, though. She turned to Corey and nodded faintly. "So…"

"So…" Corey echoed. "You and I have work to do, don't we?"

She glared up at the cloud; it seemed almost calm for now…but she knew that wouldn't last. _The only way this can end is with the Revenant Knight's destruction. He made his choice...and now he'll have to deal with the consequences._

Usagi nodded determinedly. "Yes, we do. This ends now."

* * *

AN: And there we have it, another two-parter complete AND it didn't end with our heroes in a state of impending doom. NO CLIFFHANGER THIS TIME! I did it all for you, UH-60 :-D

The time has come. I expect the next chapter will be the finale…with an epilogue to follow. Worst case, it will be split into another two-parter, but it just depends how long it ends up being. The Revenant Knight is all alone, now – time, as Usagi said, to end it. Let me know what you thought, and as always, I'll be back shortly with the continuation. Thanks for reading!


	33. Divine Judicial Ordination

Usagi stared up at the swirling mass of ash and smoke overhead; the Revenant Knight obscured the very sky itself. She knew it wouldn't be long before he recovered and resumed his attack. If they were to have any chance at all against him, they _had_ to launch their own offensive first…and finish him once and for all. But that was easier said than done. _How do we hurt him from down here? _

"She didn't have to die..." Minako stood beside her, staring sadly into the sky.

_Fury_, Usagi thought, with a touch of grief herself. The erratic Sailor Marauder had tortured them for weeks, Minako in particular…but she'd redeemed herself in the end. The blonde sighed and reached out her hand to pat Minako gently on the shoulder. "This is what she wanted, Minako. I know that it hurts, but…in the end…she was happy she got to help you."

"Yeah." Her friend rubbed her eyes and sniffled. "God, look at me…I'm falling to pieces at the worst possible time." She shook her head and managed a faint smile. "What can I do to help?"

"Well..." Usagi looked around at the crowd of confused civilians around them. "We need to get all of these people out of here. It won't be safe for long."

"Just leave it to me!" Minako span away abruptly as she reached into her subspace pocket; a familiar pen emerged in her grasp. "Moon Power, Transform!"

That wasn't exactly what Usagi had in mind. "Minako-"

"Now, now, _Sailor Moon_," V said quickly, as she performed a pirouette. "How about showing a little discretion? There are a lot of people around who can probably hear you!"

Moon cringed. _Minako, er…V's right! I need to get back into character! _She glanced about nervously, but nobody seemed to have overheard their exchange. "What are you-"

V ignored her as she clapped her hands together and smiled brilliantly. "Well, hello, everyone! It is I, the beautiful and talented agent of Love and Justice, Sailor V!"

"Hey, look!" someone yelled. "It's Sailor V!" A crowd began to form almost immediately.

Moon rolled her eyes. _Somehow she's _still_ more famous than the rest of us! _She did find her friend's sudden mood swing unsettling, but it offered an alternate take on her mental state. _Minako's __not crazy at all. She just hides her true feelings behind that exaggerated, super-cheerful personality of hers. _Moon had to admit she found that a little sad. _Why can't she just open up to us?_

"That's right," V called breathlessly. "Give Sailor V your undivided attention. I have a super important public safety announcement for you all!"

The crowd began to gather around her and Moon found herself pushed aside. "Hey, there are other Sailor Senshi around, you know!

"They're not listening," Mars said wearily, as she glared at the giggling blonde. "Just once, I'd like her to introduce herself without throwing in beautiful, talented, or any other combination of the two."

Moon was forced to agree. "That would be nice."

"Still," Mercury said, as she hobbled towards them, "she's got a way of dealing with the public that we could only dream of. They eat up every little thing she says!"

"True." As the crowd began to move, following V's instructions, a thought occurred to Sailor Moon. "Say, Mercury, how high up is the Revenant Knight right now?"

Mercury stared at her in confusion for a moment before producing her computer. "Give me a minute to find out…"

"I think I know what you've got in mind," Justice said, from behind her, "and I don't like it."

She met his helmet's blank stare evenly. "Well, then, I hope you have a better idea."

"Nope."

"That was awfully quick!" she protested. "Are you sure? You can think about it for more than a few seconds, you know!" Justice nodded wordlessly and she sighed. "Oh, well. It was worth a try."

Mercury's computer beeped, and she looked up again as she dismissed her visor. "Okay. His central mass is just over sixty-five hundred feet up. But, Usa, er, Sailor Moon-"

"Just what are you planning?" Pluto wore her customary frown; she was accompanied by Uranus and Neptune. "You only just returned from death, and-"

"We need to get up there," Moon said firmly, as she stared at the evil creature overhead. "We have to get inside his defences and strike at his heart...if he even has one."

Justice nodded slowly. "I doubt we're gonna do much damage from down here."

"Well, that sounds like a terrible plan!" V appeared out of nowhere and grabbed his arm tightly. "I'm not exactly thrilled with you trying to get yourself killed again so soon!"

"Who's trying to get themselves killed?" he retorted light-heartedly. "Sailor Moon's gonna bring me back in one piece, no worries!"

"No pressure, Justice," Moon muttered.

V pressed her cheek against his chestplate. "Just promise me you won't do anything stupid, okay?"

He chuckled quietly. "That's not really a promise I can make...but I'll do what I can to make sure we both come back in one piece. How's that?"

"Not really good enough," she said grumpily, "but it'll have to do. I guess."

"Alright…" Moon took a deep breath and turned to Tuxedo Kamen and Chibi Moon. "I guess there's no point in delaying any further, then. Wish me luck?"

"You don't need it," he said softly, leaning in to kiss her gently on the forehead. "Just be careful."

She snagged his collar and pulled him in for a _real _kiss. "Aren't I always?"

"Want an honest answer to that question?"

"No!" She pushed him away in mock irritation. "Just watch yourself down here. I won't be able to come to your rescue this time."

Tuxedo Kamen laughed. "I can't say I'm happy with this recent reversal of our roles..."

"Well, you'll just have to deal with it, won't you?" She smiled sweetly and dropped into a crouch before Chibi Moon. "We never really had a chance to talk before, did we? How are you doing?"

"I would never…I mean…" Chibi Moon suddenly hugged her tight. "Please be _very _careful. I don't want to lose you, Usagi…or my Mama!"

"You won't," Moon whispered, as she stroked her back gently. "I'm going to come back, safe and sound, and we'll all go out for ice cream. Triple waffle cones, Mamo-chan's treat!"

He groaned good-naturedly. "My poor wallet."

"Okay," Chibi Moon whispered. She buried her face in her chest one more time. "I'm really glad you came after me!"

"Of course I came after you, Chibiusa...and I will _always _will." Moon rose slowly and gave her one last smile as she turned to the rest of her friends. "I guess this is it, huh?"

"Give that smoky bastard my regards," Rei said, with a faint smile.

"And remember that we're there with you," Mercury added.

Jupiter smirked. "In spirit, at least!"

V offered a quick wave. "Be careful up there, you two." Her smiled faded quickly, however. "Oh, and Corey? If you die up there? I'll kill you."

"I…" The Guardian Knight sounded as confused as everyone else looked. "I'll…keep that in mind?"

Moon stepped up to his side and pressed against his armour gingerly. "Alright…" She took a couple of deep breaths and sighed. "I'll be okay…as long as I don't throw up."

"Sixty-five hundred feet," Justice murmured. "No. Sixty-_six_ hundred feet, just in case. Straight up."

"Kick his ass, Tinman!" Uranus called, with a lopsided grin.

"This is the terminus," Pluto whispered, as she locked her expressionless gaze on them. "The future will be decided here…"

Moon studied the storm above them one more time and swallowed nervously. _Here goes nothing..._

There was a flash of light as Justice blinked...

* * *

...and they were falling through a suffocating cloud of ash. Her lungs began to burn immediately as they protested the lack of oxygen. Justice gasped beside her, clearly in the same bind. Moon's eyes began to water as she struggled to even think rationally. Still, she summoned the Silver Crystal and held it high before her. It shone brightly and a shimmering orb appeared around them, halting their fall and clearing the air around them. She drew in a deep breath, followed by another, and was relieved to find her lungs filling with oxygen once more.

"That was...unpleasant," Corey murmured, as he floated beside her.

She nodded mutely as she stared out at their surroundings. They were in the very heart of the cloud from the look of things. Lightning crackled in the distance, casting them in red and purple light.

He turned awkwardly, obviously unused to their 'floating' state. "What now?"

Usagi swallowed nervously as she studied the clouds around them. "I'm not sure. That book of yours was a little iffy on how we actually do this." It was strange; so far, there'd been no reaction to their presence at all. "Is he even-"

The clouds lit up around them, flashing in time with his familiar, booming voice. "You must be quite pleased with yourselves. Restoring the Empty, denying my hunger...a most impressive effort indeed, Princess. Never before have I faced such resistance." The air around them grew cold, along with his voice. "But it will prove futile, in the end. I have faced Sailor Senshi before…and their worlds tasted all the sweeter. Just as yours shall."

She let the Silver Crystal drift free between her hands. "That's not going to happen."

"Oh?" He sounded almost amused. "And just how do you propose to stop me?"

"We're going to burn you out of the sky," Justice said, strangely calm. "You'll pay for your crimes today."

"Crimes?" The cloud shifted before them and formed his laughing face. "I feast on the lives of mortals as you feast on livestock! Are you guilty of _their_ murder? I think not. It is but the natural order of things." His 'face' set in a decidedly ominous smirk. "You are so far beneath me, you are like ants under my boot. I am not beholden to your mortal laws, and you cannot judge me!"

"You're always so arrogant, aren't you?" Usagi asked, fuming. "Always so in control!"

"And why not? I _am _in control, Princess. When I am done with you, I will move on from Tokyo…and devour your pathetic little family. I wonder how your Mama and Papa will taste..."

That same rage she'd felt towards Pride reasserted itself in an instant. "Let's see how you like this!" She nodded sharply to Justice. "Do it!"

"Judicial Flames!" He unleashed a torrent of flame into the clouds before him. The wispy material ignited slowly, almost reluctantly – it was actively resisting his efforts.

_Combine our power_, she thought determinedly. "Divine…Judicial…Ordination!" There was an all too brief surge of power from the crystal in her hands…and nothing. "What?!"

The clouds flashed again, accompanied by his familiar, mocking laughter. "Divine Judicial Ordination? Am I supposed to be impressed, little girl?!" The cloud began to renew itself faster than Justice could burn it. "Perhaps your flames _could _destroy me, Justice…if you had a thousand years!"

Fear stabbed at Usagi's heart as she stared down at the crystal in disbelief. _I called the attack like the book said! We combined our powers, what went wrong?! _An ominous rumble like thunder began to build in the distance as lightning arced between the clouds.

"You have _failed_, Princess, and delivered yourself into my grasp! Now, you will die, and your pathetic little world will fall!" His visage smiled triumphantly. "So sayeth the Revenant Knight!"

Lightning lashed out from all sides, closing in on her barrier. Corey thrust his hands out, reinforcing it with his own shield just as they struck. They made it through anyway, rippling across his armour with unbelievable power; his arms were slowly forced back towards his body, and Usagi recoiled at the sudden heat before her. _Hang on, Corey, just hang on!_

"Not…yet!" He pushed back against the onslaught with a renewed purpose and his shield flared as it pushed out to join her barrier again.

Usagi's eyes widened at the sudden sensation of power she felt. Corey's shield…and her barrier. Together. _Our powers combined, _she thought again. _Combine his Judicial Flames…with the power of the Silver Crystal. Could it be that simple?_

The same strange voice that had touched her mind before returned. _Yes, Serenity. You are almost there…_

The blonde's brow furrowed in concentration. It was a woman's voice. She reminded her of her own mother…but she was somehow different at the same time. She gasped as her gaze locked on Corey, and she remembered his benefactor. _Selene? Is…is that you?_

_I am with you, Serenity…as I have been with _all _my descendants. Have faith in yourself, child…and cleanse Varelus' evil from the galaxy once and for all…_

"Corey!" She raised her hands once more and allowed the crystal to drift free above them. "Cast your flames _into _the Silver Crystal!"

His helmet snapped around in an instant. "Are you crazy?! You think _that's-_"

"Argue with me later! Just do it!"

Another devastating burst of lightning struck the crystal's barrier; pain exploded in her arms as the Revenant Knight's attack danced over Corey's armour and arced across to her, leaving angry red welts in its wake.

Justice dropped his shield and brought his hands together before him. "Let's make this one count! I beseech the spirit of Justice that resides in all beings...hear my call!" Embers drifted into the air from his gauntlets as the magic began to build.

The Revenant Knight's 'brow' furrowed. "What are you doing?!"

"Grant me the power to destroy this great evil!"

Usagi focused all of her own power into the aura around them as the evil creature lashed out again; she bit down on her lip in pain, the coppery taste of blood filling her mouth. Corey's arms were now surrounded by flames. _We just have to hold out…for a little longer!_

The clouds flared angrily. "This is futile!"

A particularly powerful blast tore through the crystal's barrier and struck the Guardian Knight in the side, tearing a hole in his armour and leaving him bloody. "Let us cleanse it…from this world…together!"

Usagi stared at her friend in wonder; he was completely engulfed in flames now, an inferno raging around his armour. He turned in the air and extended his hands towards her; towards the crystal. "Judicial…FLAMES!"

A surge of fire erupted from his palms and poured _into _the Silver Crystal. The gem accepted them almost hungrily, drawing them in without hesitation. Its normally clear, shimmering surface turned a bright orange as it began to burn from the inside.

"Oh, wow…" Usagi whispered. The sensation of power was amazing; it was as if she could _feel _the fire raging inside her own body.

"What are you doing?" His 'eyes' were wide with surprise…and perhaps a hint of fear. "What trickery is this?!"

"No trickery," Justice snapped. "No games! We're just about to wipe your arrogant ass from the face of the galaxy!"

Usagi took a single, deep breath in and closed her eyes…focusing all her strength through the gem in her hands. "Divine…"

"Stop!" Yet more lighting struck arced towards them, this time striking her back.

She ignored the pain. Only one thing mattered now; his destruction. "Judicial…"

"I demand you stop this at once!" He was afraid. For all his arrogance, he hadn't anticipated this!

Usagi's eyes snapped open and locked on his face. "ORDINATION!" There was a brilliant, blinding flash of light…and all hell broke loose. Her uniform faded away, replaced with the familiar, flowing gown of Princess Serenity.

"What the hell?" Justice whispered beside her. "You've got real wings?!"

He was right; she could feel them. Angelic wings fluttered behind her as she held the burning crystal high, and an incredible ball of flame erupted in all directions. It passed harmlessly over the two of them and out into the cloud. A terrible roar followed as it ignited around them.

"This cannot be! I am superior!"

The Silver Crystal glowed white hot in her hands, but Usagi felt no pain - only that same incredible power. Wisps of black burst into flame around them as the fireball continued outwards, an ever-growing sphere that tore through the creature's body. Ash and smoke alike smouldered, leaving a trail of swirling embers in its wake.

"Keep it up! We're doing it! He's fading!"

Corey nodded, and the flames he was pouring into the Silver Crystal intensified, burning even hotter.

"What madness is this?!" The Revenant Knight struck them again and again. Corey's shield sprang back into existence, even as he continued feeding the crystal. It managed to deflect a majority of the blasts…but their enemy showed no signs of slowing and the translucent disc began to crack.

"I can't hold him off!"

"Just a little more!" Usagi urged him. "He's weakening! Hold on just a little longer. For everyone!"

"For everyone!"

Even as the Revenant Knight burned he continued his assault, seemingly hell-bent on taking them down with him. Corey's shield finally collapsed under the strain with an audible crash like shattering glass; his flames died out as he flung himself forward and wrapped his arms around her in a bearhug. Only her new wings remained exposed as he took several hits on his armour, shielding her with his own body as he had once before.

"You've got my power!" he yelled. "Focus on the Revenant Knight! I'll keep you safe!"

She felt him shift as he was struck again, and grit her teeth at his grunt of pain. _I have to do this…for everyone! Everyone…_

* * *

_In a small, unassuming house in Tadakoa, Ikuko sat huddled on the couch with Kenji, Shingo, and his parents, their eyes glued to the television. "Oh, Usagi. Be safe! Please be safe!"_

_..._

_In a hotel room in London, Fumiko and Yoshiro stared wide-eyed at the images before them. The great black cloud was glowing from within as a massive fireball tore through it._

"_Minako…please take care of yourself..."_

_..._

_Naru stared out of her window at the darkened sky above and whispered a quiet prayer for all her friends. "Please…let us all make it through this..."_

_..._

_Ryo watched the battle unfold, for once unable to witness the conclusion beforehand. It was both a curse and a blessing, all at the same time. "You have to make it through this, Ami. You and Usagi and everyone else. You have to!"_

_..._

_Grandpa Hino bowed his head before the shrine as more thunder raged outside. "May the ancestors watch over you and your friends, granddaughter. Be safe. Be victorious."_

_..._

_Sam sat right on the edge of the couch as Jess paced before the television._

"_Come on, Corey!" the girl called. "Smash that thing!"_

"_Just come home again safely," Sam said, with a heavy sigh. "You and all your friends…"_

_..._

_Luna glanced at Artemis anxiously as they watched the battle from afar. The Revenant Knight was on fire…but that did nothing for her nerves. "You can do it, everyone. Just come back to us!"_

_..._

_Titus stared impassively up at the cloud from the ruins of the Prime Minister's office. "Corey…Usagi. Bring an end to this madness once and for all!"_

_..._

_Mamoru held a trembling Chibiusa as his eyes searched the sky. He could feel her power…and yet, it felt as if it was beginning to wane. "Usako…"_

_..._

_Rei kept her eyes closed, ignoring the battle above. Her thoughts, however, were with her friends as she whispered a quiet prayer. "Return to us, Usagi and Corey. May the ancestors watch over you..."_

_..._

_Ami studied her computer intently, watching the Revenant Knight's mass decrease. "Come on…only a little more!"_

_..._

_Makoto had nothing to say; she just watched with nervous anticipation, waiting for the creature to fall as she knew it would. Usagi would win - she always did!_

_..._

_Minako popped a few Skittles into her mouth and chewed nervously. "Keep her safe, cutie…and come back to me!"_

_..._

"_Can they really prevail?" Neptune asked quietly._

"_They'll do it," Saturn said confidently. "I know they will!"_

"_Tinman will keep her safe," Haruka agreed. "He's good for that, at least."_

_Pluto remained silent…but her frown betrayed her concern…_

_..._

* * *

Usagi felt a faint smile tugging on her lips. She could almost feel the love and support from her friends and family. _I'm doing this for them…and I won't fail! _Her eyes snapped open, and she thrust the crystal forward, right at the Revenant Knight's face. "You're finished!"

The gem exploded, an intense fireball erupting in all directions at once. It tore through the tattered remains of the cloud around them, leaving nothing but dust in its wake. He roared in pain as he was quite literally eaten away by the flames from within.

"This…cannot be! I…am…eternal…" His voice faded into nothingness as he collapsed, his form drifting towards the earth in a disorganised cloud of dust.

"We…we did it…" Usagi whispered, as the orb around them flickered. The crystal grew dim…and she toppled backwards with Corey as they began to plummet towards the ground below.

* * *

Sailor V turned to Pluto, her anxiety winning out. "You're probably going to tell me you can't talk about the future…but they _have _to win, right? I mean, we've been to Crystal Tokyo. Usagi doesn't die!"

"The future is never truly set in stone. Time is like a body of water; the ripples from even a single pebble can disturb the surface in ways we could never have expected."

"Oh." Pluto's reply did nothing to calm her nerves. "Thanks for nothing, Pluto."

"Oh, shit!" Uranus swore.

Minako couldn't agree more. A massive fireball, bigger than any they'd ever seen, erupted and tore through the Revenant Knight's core. The creature was burning from within…being consumed in the ensuing firestorm. There was a distant roar of pain, and he began to collapse. Smoldering embers and ash swirled down around them as patches of star-filled sky became visible again.

"Yes!" Jupiter cried, as she pumped her fist in the air. "They did it!"

Saturn hugged Pluto tightly. "I knew they would!"

"But where are they?" Mars asked softly.

Mercury dropped her visor and began searching the sky. After a moment's hesitation, she raised her hand and pointed up. "There!"

"Oh, gods," Mars whispered. "They're falling!"

V clamped a gloved hand over her mouth in fear. _Come on, Corey. Blink! Blink! _

Uranus had the same thought. "Why isn't he doing that blink thing?!"

"Find something!" Jupiter cried, frantically searching their surroundings. "Anything to cushion their fall-"

Neptune joined the search, but it seemed futile. "We'll never make it in time!"

"Usako…" Tuxedo Kamen whispered. "Come on…don't give up now. Not after all of that."

"Pluto!" Chibi Moon cried. "You control time. Can't you pause it or something? Help them!"

Pluto shook her head sadly. "I regret that I cannot. To do so would result in _my _death instead…and undo too much work required for the future you come from."

"They're going to hit," Neptune said, averting her gaze.

"Come on, Corey!" V screamed. "Do something!"

About a hundred feet off the ground, he and Usagi disappeared in a flash of light…and hit the ground right in front of them. V recoiled in surprise; the crash as the Guardian Knight hit was horrifying, but he held Usagi tightly in her arms – he'd taken the brunt of the impact.

"Usagi? Corey?" Mars dropped to her knees beside them.

"Don't touch them," Mercury called anxiously. "They could have spinal injuries!"

Chibiusa whimpered in fear. "They're not moving…"

"Come on…" V said, as she stared down at them. "I'm not giving up on you. Either of you!"

"Check for a pulse-" Mamoru was cut off by a reassuring yet somehow _maddening _sound; Usagi's quiet snores.

Mars' eyebrow began to twitch violently. "She…she's _asleep_?! I'll kill her!" Jupiter was forced to restrain the miko as she lost it. "Wake up, Odango! Wake up so I can yell at you! How could you worry us like that?!"

Corey was the first to move. He allowed his arms to relax around Usagi…and began to laugh. "Ha. Ha, haha…oh, god. Laughing…is painful."

V dropped to her knees and managed to tug his helmet off, relieved beyond belief to see him alive.

He smiled as soon as he saw her. "Hey, you-"

She slapped him on the forehead. _Hard_. "Idiot! How could you worry me like that?!"

"I'm…sorry?"

Usagi stirred slowly and stared down at him with a crooked smile. "We did it?"

"We did it," he agreed. "No more Revenant Knight."

"Good…" She yawned abruptly, and shifted atop him...making no effort to move. "I just realised something funny. This is how we first met."

Corey stared at her in disbelief…and began to laugh again. "You're right…that _is _funny! Haha, oh, god, my back!"

V shifted impatiently; she'd been waiting for a hug for so long already. "Usagi, if I could just-"

"I'm gonna borrow your boyfriend for a little while longer," her friend said sleepily. "Just a fifteen minute power nap, okay, Minako?"

Corey's eyes widened in alarm as he noticed V's eyebrow starting to twitch. "Uh, Usagi? Maybe you should-"

"Can't talk. Sleepy…"

Jupiter glanced nervously at the blonde as well. "Ah, no, Usagi, I really think you should listen to-"

Too late; V exploded and unceremoniously shoved her to the ground. "Get _off_ my boyfriend! I want a hug, dammit!"

Mars just rolled her eyes. "Classic Minako."

Pluto sighed heavily. "I think I'll return to the Space-Time Door now…I've had about as much of this insanity as I can take…"

* * *

Corey stared up at the clear night sky, taking in the full moon above. It seemed like an eternity since he'd been able to look upon the naked sky itself; after spending just a few hours under the shadowy spectre of the Revenant Knight he had a newfound appreciation for its beauty. It was almost strange to be at peace. Even stranger to be at a 'victory party' – he'd never had one before.

Defeating Surpatore and the Dark Kingdom Remnant had just sort of happened. He had a beer, said a few words for Dawkins…and that was that. But this was something else entirely. Somehow, despite her injuries, Makoto had found the energy to cook, and _everyone_ had chipped in, including Minako - to some of the girls' unease - _and _the Outer Senshi.

His back ached painfully; he pushed off the low wall he was leaning on and took a few careful steps into the courtyard. It was already injured after his trip to the past, but his fall from a hundred feet up had only made it worse. _At least Minako finally acknowledged the injury, _he thought wryly. _There's worse things in the world than sympathy kisses. _Far _worse things, if I'm honest. _

Corey paused as he spotted a familiar black cat sitting on the stone, staring up at the sky in silence.

"It's difficult to believe, isn't it?"

He laughed quietly. _Titus always seems to know when I'm coming. _He settled down on the stone beside him and sighed. "Even more so for you, I imagine."

"I spent more than a thousand years preparing for the Revenant Knight's arrival," Titus agreed. "To sit here now that he's been defeated is…a surreal feeling. I find myself wondering what I'm supposed to do with myself now."

"You could take a vacation," Corey said, with a chuckle. "See the world."

"I've seen plenty of the world," he replied grumpily. "No, I think...perhaps...I'll just be a cat. No hacking, no spying, and certainly no scheming." Titus stretched slowly as he rose to his feet. "I'll lie in the sun, eat plenty of fish…and sleep my days away. Yes…that actually sounds wonderful."

Corey was surprised; Titus had almost _purred. _"So long as I don't have to do anything, buddy. I think I need a break myself."

Titus broke their comfortable silence a few seconds later. "You did well today, Corey. I'm very proud of you…and I know John would be too."

Corey smiled faintly as he pictured his acerbic old mentor. "Thanks, buddy. I hope so."

"There you are!" They were interrupted as Minako wandered over, a brilliant smile on her face. "I've been sent to find the conquering hero. You're supposed to be inside with Usagi, mister."

Titus flashed him a playful wink. "I'll leave you two alone. Don't do anything I wouldn't do…"

"Get outta here, you idiot," he snapped playfully, before turning his attention to his girlfriend. "Just getting some air. Adulation's not really my thing. Or parties, for that matter."

"Well, this isn't just about you," Minako said teasingly. "The rest of us want to party, and your presence is required. Usagi said to consider it an order from your princess!"

"Is that right?" He stretched carefully, and felt his back pop uncomfortably. "If it's an order…"

She snagged his arm as he wandered past and winked. "Well, I guess we don't _have _to go right in..."

He smiled down at her. "What do you say we just watch the stars for a while, then?"

"Sounds like a plan, cutie."

Corey lifted his arm and she slipped under it with practiced ease. After the stress of the last twenty-four hours, after seeing her _dead_…it was just what he needed. They stayed like that for some time, just enjoying each other's company beneath the light of the moon.

Finally, she spoke. "Pen for your thoughts…"

That sounded familiar. "I think we've had this conversation before."

"Of course we have, silly," she said, with a giggle. "I'm being nostalgic!"

"Our first real talk," Corey recalled. "At the shrine. You found me outside…because I didn't want to go in."

"Mmhmm. I remember."

"I came so close to leaving Tokyo that night," he admitted. "All the drama around my past...it wasn't exactly the welcome I'd expected. I thought I was going to fit in right away. Teaming up with you all was a dream come true for me. I thought I was finally going to have friends again. But then…"

"But then Titus made us all think you were a jerk."

He laughed and kissed the top of her head. "Close enough. But somehow you managed to cheer me up and convinced me to walk into Rei's room. I wouldn't be here now if it weren't for you."

"Well…I thought you were really cute," Minako replied, with another melodious giggle. "I couldn't let you leave without at least _one _date first!"

Corey shook his head. "And what a terrible first date it was…"

"With our cat chaperones…"

He cupped her cheek and tilted her lips towards his, dipping his head to capture them with a gentle kiss. "In all seriousness…thank you for convincing me to stay. I don't think I ever told you how much it meant to me."

She smiled up at him. "Thank you for staying. I have a feeling I'd be a lot less happy…and a lot more dead, when I think about it."

"So it worked out for both of us, then."

Minako giggled a second time. "That it did, cutie."

"Hey!" Usagi called from behind them. "If you two don't get your butts back in here, I can't be held responsible for what happens to your cake!"

"Same old Usagi," his girlfriend murmured, as she slipped out from under his arm and took hold of his hand. "Come on. I'll try and teach you to dance...though I make no promises."

He chuckled as he allowed her to lead him back inside. It really _was_ good to have friends again.

* * *

AN: Well, there it is; the final _official_ chapter of Last Guardian Knight. I hope it delivered – I feel like the spectacle wasn't quite there compared to the big two-parter but hey, Usagi got her moment in the spotlight; that's all that really matters, right? I really liked the sense of symmetry that started to shine through towards the end – Corey and Usagi's first meeting, his first real conversation with Minako in the shrine's courtyard…I think it closed Corey's story on a positive note.

Much like with previous acts, I wanted to 'end' it here. There will be an epilogue of some sort, but it won't be essential reading – just a few extra characters moments, and perhaps a bit of setup for a pseudo-sequel I have planned. Look for that in the next few days.

On the subject of this pseudo-sequel, I do have a tentative outline written, but not much else. This is officially the end of Last Guardian Knight but I have more ideas for the girls, Corey and Titus to take place in the same 'universe'. The idea is to make it at least somewhat standalone, but obviously reading LGK will help with your understanding of past events. I'm not sure when it will come, but I'm planning on taking a break, resting and recharging my batteries before trying to tackle it in earnest.

Thank you so much for sticking with Last Guardian Knight through three acts and nearly 410,000 words! Stay tuned for that epilogue! :-D


	34. Epilogue

"Recapping our top story this morning; footage has emerged from an official government source that paints former Prime Minister Noboru Hayashida in a rather unfavourable light. The footage, which has official government timestamps _and _security encoding shows Mr. Hayashida being what can only be described as _possessed _by an unknown creature - experts believe it to be linked to the _cloud entity_ that attacked Tokyo four days ago. Comments made by Mr. Hayashida early in the same footage appear to confirm his complicity in the death of his predecessor, calling into question his morality and overall character, and casting an ominous light over his entire term."

Usagi smiled faintly at the news report. _Titus really knows how to make an impact_, she thought, as she munched on her toast.

"I can't believe I actually liked that guy," Kenji muttered.

"Lots of people were fooled, Papa. The Revenant Knight was so convincing he almost had _us _fooled at one point." Her eyes scanned over the newspaper in his hands; the front page proudly proclaimed "Sailor Senshi Embraced By Tokyo Again" in big, bold letters - also likely the sneaky cat's doing. _Love him or hate him, _she decided, _Titus is a pretty useful guy to have around._ It had been a long time coming, but everything finally seemed to be returning to normal.

"Usagi!" Chibiusa's panicked cry jolted her out of her reverie. "We're gonna be late! You said we'd meet the others at ten!"

She let out a heavy sigh. "Can't I at least finish my toast first?"

"No! You can eat on the run!"

"Fine, fine! Let's go!" Usagi pushed her chair back and flailed precariously as she narrowly avoided a collision with her mother.

Ikuko looked at her in confusion as she placed a pot of tea on the table. "You're off already, Usagi?"

"Yep," she replied. "It's time to get Chibiusa back to the future-" The blonde froze suddenly as she realised exactly what she'd just said. _Crap! In all my excitement about not having to lie to them I forgot I _do _still need to lie about Chibiusa!_

"The future?" Kenji lowered his newspaper and stared at her suspiciously. "What do you mean by the _future_?"

"Uh…well…" Usagi laughed nervously as she frantically tried to come up with a suitable explanation. She really hadn't planned on having this conversation – not for a few years, at least. _Chibiusa's going back to her own time and may never come back again. It would have been so much easier if I'd just kept my big mouth shut. _She sighed and hung her head in defeat. _I have no choice. I won't lie to them again._

Chibiusa locked eyes with her and shook her head frantically…but Usagi couldn't bring herself to do it. _Besides, _she thought hopefully, _how mad can they really get?_

"Well, you see," she said, somewhat awkwardly, "Chibiusa's _real_ name is Usagi Small Lady…_Serenity_. And, uh…she's not _actually_ my cousin."

"Well, then who is she?" Ikuko asked, apparently more curious than upset.

Usagi scratched the back of her head and laughed nervously. "Ha. You'll laugh. At least, I _hope_ you'll laugh, but…she's my...future...daughter?"

Kenji's newspaper hit the floor…followed by his jaw…and her mother.

Chibiusa shrugged and waved cheerfully at him. "Hi, grandpa!"

"Grandpa?!" he sputtered. "That boy…Mamoru!"

"Papa?" Usagi said, as she noted the little vein on his temple starting to throb. "Now, uh, please-"

"I'm going to kill him for touching my little girl! You're only nineteen! You're far too young to be having children of your own!" He continued to rage, nearly incoherent by now.

"Papa, please!" she cried. "Just calm down and let me explain!"

Ikuko sat up slowly. "What…what's going on?"

Chibiusa smiled sweetly. "Hi, grandma!"

The older woman hit the floor again, prompting a shriek of fright from Usagi. "Mama?! Wake up, Mama!"

* * *

"Grandpa! Where are you?!"

The squat old man smiled from his position on the shrine's porch and raised his hand in greeting. "I'm over here, Rei. You don't need to keep checking up on me."

She eyed him suspiciously and, for a moment, he thought she'd sensed something. "Is everything alright? You seem troubled."

"No, no," he assured her. "I'm fine. It's nothing to worry about at all." He threw a few punches at the air and grinned. "I'm fighting fit and ready for another day!"

"Well, alright." She retrieved her broom and headed out into the courtyard. "I'm going to finish sweeping the steps. Stay out of trouble!"

"I'll be right here." He watched her go, a faint smile on his face. _Against all odds, the Sailor Senshi have triumphed again. You and your friends may have saved the city, Rei…and perhaps the entire world…but I fear you've attracted some unwanted attention in doing so. _

He sighed as he headed into the courtyard himself, finally coming to a stop above an unassuming flower. His smile dipped into a frown; it was beginning to wilt already. _The Order of Black has watched from the shadows for a long time…but this may prove the catalyst that finally draws them into the light. _He turned, watching his granddaughter descend the steps, and sighed again. _Be careful, Rei. Be very careful indeed._

* * *

Usagi stood off to the side, hand in hand with Mamoru, watching as Chibiusa made her final round of goodbyes. They were gathered in the park by the large fountain that had served as a meeting place so many times before; the Sailor Senshi, Mamoru, Corey and the guardian cats. Everyone had come to see her off.

"This is for you!" Minako cooed, as she pressed an unmarked CD case into the girl's hand. "It's me, singing all my favourite songs, so you can prove to all your friends back in Crystal Tokyo you knew me _before _I was famous!"

"Oh, wow…" Chibiusa said, rather awkwardly. "Um…thanks, Minako. That's really…sweet."

The blonde leaned in conspiratorially and whispered - quite loudly. "Don't be afraid to pass it on to any talent scouts that might be interested!"

Corey rolled his eyes. "Are you seriously trying to get representation in the _future_?"

Minako shrugged. "I'm sledging all my bets."

Artemis groaned loudly, then yowled in surprise as he received a kick for his troubles.

"Quiet, you!"

Ami was the last to hug her. "We'll miss you, Chibiusa. Take care of yourself."

She smiled in return. "I hope I can come back again…but if I can't? It's been really great hanging out with all of you…and I guess I'll see you in a thousand years."

"It can't come soon enough!" Hotaru cried, as she rushed forward to hug her a final time.

Usagi smiled faintly and waved; she'd had her goodbye in private with Mamoru and she didn't trust herself not to tear up if she tried again now.

There were assorted goodbyes and farewells from everyone as Chibiusa stepped up to the fountain and raised the time key over her head. "Crystal Time Key…" She smiled sadly. "Take me home."

There was a loud crack of thunder as some familiar pink clouds formed overhead. Chibiusa rose slowly into the air…and faded from view.

"And everything is once again as it should be," Setsuna said, with a contented sigh.

Usagi turned away and buried her face in Mamoru's chest as a tear slid down her cheek. It seemed she was going to cry after all.

He wrapped his arms around her reassuringly. "We'll see her again, Usako. One way or another."

"I know…" she answered softly, "but it can't come soon enough."

* * *

Elder Haime waited patiently for Knight-Captain Harcourt to finish his report. The recent events in Tokyo had been the focus of their intelligence gathering efforts, of course, but he placed a great deal of trust in what Harcourt thought. The head of the Black Paladins was a sharp man; it was a shame he only had a year or two left in him.

"So…" His voice was still strong, despite his advanced years. "The Sailor Senshi managed to emerge victorious once again."

"Yes, Elder," Harcourt replied, as he bowed his head in deference. "I've already issued a recall order for our Paladin Strike Teams. This 'Revenant Knight' is no longer a threat."

"Good, good." Haime clasped his hands behind his back as he stared up at the image on the screen; Sailor Moon and her Sailor Senshi, along with their troubling new ally. "The Guardian Knight's arrival was unexpected. The Order has long thought them all dead."

"Reports of the confrontation itself are admittedly sketchy at best…but witnesses suggest he played a vital role in the battle."

"I'm sure he did," Haime said, with a chuckle. "The Histories tell us the Guardian Knights were never much for restraint." He reached out idly, tracing his fingertips along the sword on the wall. It was an ancient relic of the Order; one of only a handful of artefacts left behind by their progenitors, the Golden Paladins.

"Elder?" the Knight-Captain asked, sensing he had more to say.

"The entire world was watching, Harcourt. It would seem the Sailor Senshi are no longer a curiosity exclusive to Japan." His brow furrowed as he shook his head slowly. "Events are unfolding much faster than we anticipated…and the Moon Princess is beginning to gain recognition. This presents a problem…a problem the Order cannot allow to continue."

"You think she's preparing to make her move? Consolidate power?"

"Perhaps," Haime agreed, as he uttered a low sigh. "We are at a critical juncture, my friend, and I fear we shall soon have need of your Paladins like never before."

"They stand ready, Elder." Harcourt brought his fist up to his chest in the customary salute. "We live to serve the Black."

* * *

Minako closed her front door quietly but it didn't really matter. Her mother was home.

"Oh, good! You're finally back! Is everything alright?!"

She was unable to resist rolling her eyes just a little. "Yes, _mother_, I'm fine. You really don't need to fuss over me like this!"

"Well, I was worried, dear!" Fumiko retorted, as she stepped out of the kitchen. "You sent us away to England and all I saw on the news was some evil…_space cloud_ and a huge fireball! For all I knew, you were dead!" Her voice softened a little. "How was I _not_ supposed to worry. How am I supposed to just forget about that?"

Minako sighed. _Trust her to guilt me into letting her worry. _"I appreciate that, mother…but since I'm clearly _not _dead can we go five minutes without you checking in on me? I'm nineteen years old, _and _a Sailor Senshi - I think I can take care of myself!" She left out the part about her _third _death. After all, there was no need to worry her.

Her mother frowned as she folded her arms across her chest; clearly, she had no intention of letting it go. "But you _could _have been, Minako. That's my point!"

The blonde sighed. It was pointless to argue with her. "Alright, mother…alright. I suppose it's nice to know you care, at least, after our…troubles."

That seemed to do the trick. "Oh. Well, good!" Fumiko abruptly clapped her hands together as she unveiled a predatory smile. "Now, I was thinking we could invite Corey over for dinner tonight."

"Oh…you were?" The blonde fidgeted nervously; after his last visit she was pretty sure what he'd think of _that _particular suggestion. Unfortunately, she was beginning to realise her mother wasn't actually_ asking_. "Um…sure. I guess?"

"Great! I've got some more questions I'd like to ask him. About your future together..."

_Corey's going to love that,_ Minako thought sourly. _Still…at least she's taking an interest in my life, I suppose. Sorry, cutie…but it looks like you're coming to dinner. _

Thankfully, Yoshirou picked that moment to interrupt. "Hi, honey. Mail for you." He handed over a small envelope; it was stamped with international markings. "It's from England."

"England? Who do I still know from England apart from Alan and Katarina?" She turned it over but found no sender address. "That's weird. She usually emails me." Minako shrugged as she tore into the envelope and unfolded the letter inside. Her eyes widened in surprise as she began to read.

_Hi sweetie…_

_So, surprise! I'm alive! I admit I'm not really sure how…but I'm writing this letter to you so it must be true. The last thing I remember is falling down in a lot of pain. That, and holding an eyeball. It was Crimson's, I think - stupid Amazon got what she deserved! Anyway, there was this bright flash of light and then I woke up in that same park you saved me in all those years ago._

_My mind's kind of a jumble – more so than usual, anyway! - and I don't really remember a lot of what happened…but I know you were kind to me. Much kinder than I had any right to expect after everything I put you through. So, I wanted to say thank you one more time…and let you know I'm going to work really hard to earn this second chance I've been given. No more killing, that's a promise!_

_Anyway, if you're ever in London again, look me up. It'd be great to meet you as myself...once I work out who that really is, anyway!_

_Lots of hugs and kisses,_

_Faye_

Minako looked up from the page slowly as her eyes filled with tears. _She's alive. She gets another chance to be Faye after all..._

"Minako?" Fumiko looked up in concern. "You're crying. Is everything alright?"

She nodded as she folded the letter carefully and wiped her eyes. "Yes, I'm fine."

"Who's it from?" her father asked curiously.

Her tears continued to fall, but Minako just smiled happily. "Oh, you know. Just an old friend. Someone I thought I'd never hear from again."

End

* * *

And so Last Guardian Knight draws to a close for real. I just couldn't leave Fury dead, especially after 'raising your hopes for Wrath and then squashing them' as one reviewer pointed out! I hope it was a fun little fluff piece to end on, at any rate.

What is the Order of Black? How does Grandpa know Rei's secret? Those are both great questions to ask…but you'll have to wait for the sequel for answers ;-) (Yes, UH-60, I know this technically constitutes a cliffhanger…but I'm hoping you'll let that slide since I AM setting up a whole new story here, lol!)

So…Last Guardian Knight is finally finished. I write that with mixed emotions – it's a relief to be able to say I actually completed it, as my biggest fear was somehow losing interest, hitting a wall or being otherwise forced to abandon it. With that said, it'll be strange to not think about my next chapter, or what comes next for all my characters. I've sunk so many hours into this story that I'm not sure I'll know what do with myself for the next few days. I'm not ruling out future one-shots or short stories but, for now, Corey's story is largely concluded.

Thank you all so much for reading what started off as a fairly simple little idea in my head for a fun OC…and turned into a 400,000+ word epic. I've had a lot of fun writing LGK, and it means a lot to me that so many of you found Corey and Titus believable and entertaining additions to the Sailor Moon universe. I never imagined they'd be so well received when I first envisioned them.

I especially want to thank metalgear, sailorv1986, UH-60 Nightstalker and Princess Selina – you guys have been with me all along, from Act One right through to this point, and your reviews and general feedback have kept me focused, on track and writing the entire time. I've leant on some of you more than others as I've written this story, and I'm sure I'll do so again when I really begin work on the sequel in earnest. Thank you all in advance for your continued help and support; I'll be back soon to start this whole process all over again!

Lisseas


End file.
